


The Refugium in the Woods

by Theycallmepabo



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternative Perspective, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Cabin Fic, Doctor/Patient, Explicit Language, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Inuit Character, M/M, Mutual Pining, Past Abuse, Pining, Running Away, Slow Burn, Wilderness, kataang implied, zukka - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:41:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 45,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26065141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theycallmepabo/pseuds/Theycallmepabo
Summary: Sokka dropped out of med school to help take care of his dying mother at the family cabin. After she dies, he stays in the cabin year-round in order to clear his head. Little did he know his peaceful refugium would be turned upside down after finding a man in the woods with a fresh burn on his face running away. He didn't expect his rusty medical knowledge to come in handy again so soon and this stubborn in-house patient is the ultimate test of bedside manner. This is their story.Sokka heals Zuko in more ways than one and Zuko helps Sokka finally grieve his previous losses and realize what he wants to do in life. Mutual pining and slow burn.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 180
Kudos: 536





	1. The Cabin in the Woods

**Author's Note:**

> Their name is written in italics before their perspective starts. Enjoy!

_Sokka _  
__

____

Sokka heads out into the forest from his cabin with his bow and back quiver. Rabbits are rarer this time of year but not unheard of. He takes a big breath as he looks out onto the mountains in the distance and smiles as he steps onto the snow-covered trail. The air cools his throat as he walks further in the woods, keeping his eyes peeled for any small game he can hunt on his way. He wonders if the golden eagle nest has any new developments, anticipating the day when the fledglings leave the nest but saddened at the thought of not seeing them around as much. Things have had a habit of leaving him recently. 

____

The sky is an ominous grey but Sokka has a feeling they aren’t brewing anything too sinister. Hopefully, they’ll just get a dusting that’ll clear easily. He’s never minded the snow. He gets caught up looking at the streams of light fighting their way through the clouds, not knowing what he’s looking for or why the sky is calling to him today. How can people spend so much time interpreting condensed water vapor? They just looked like…well, clouds! He wonders for a moment if his parents are watching him from up there but catches himself, shaking his head. There was no such thing. And if there was, he hoped they were doing more exciting things up there than spending their time watching him bird watch. 

____

He’s so caught up in his thoughts that he startles when he hears faint rustling coming from the thick woods just off the trail to the left of him. Taking a couple steps back onto the trail, and into reality, he draws his bow. Maybe he’ll get lucky and be eating rabbit tonight instead of fish and sea prunes. 

____

His breathing becomes calculated. In. The rustling becomes louder. Out. Stopping for a moment. In. Did the animal sense the danger? Out. No, the rustling begins again, even louder. In. The bushes start to move and Sokka’s back hand starts to shake slightly from exhaustion. Out. Regret takes hold as Sokka comes to the realization this animal was a lot bigger than he originally thought and his bow was not made for anything bigger than a beaver. In. The bushes part to reveal a disheveled man looking up at him, absolutely terrified. 

____

“HOLY SHIT!” Sokka lowers his bow immediately and starts again, “I could’ve shot you!” 

____

The guy doesn’t seem to process anything Sokka has said, let alone the gravity of the situation he was just in. Sokka takes a few steps closer, relief setting in that he did in fact not just kill anyone by accident. Taking a closer look at the man, he can see the fear even clearer in his eyes, but the fear isn’t directed at Sokka. In fact, the guy doesn’t even seem to care about Sokka’s existence at all. The man continues the cycle of looking back behind him in fear and looking forward at Sokka with his brows furrowed. The man seems to have been badly attacked with cuts all over his body and red, angry blisters bubbling up around his left eye that extended across his cheek and onto his forehead. 

____

The man glances behind him one last time before making a run for the trail to the right. 

____

“Wait!” Sokka easily grabs hold of the stranger’s arm and keeps him from running away. Much to his surprise, there’s no resistance from the man. _Was he in shock? _Sokka’s jaw sets when he sees the damage to the man’s face up close and can look into his golden eyes surrounded by inflamed, pink lids. The man’s eyes were empty, their warm color out of place. _Definitely in shock.___

_______ _ _ _

“It’s okay, I can help you.” 

_______ _ _ _

Nothing. 

_______ _ _ _

Sokka, his hand still on the man’s arm, looks past him towards the brush he came from, squinting, “What are you running from?” 

_______ _ _ _

The man just looks blankly ahead at Sokka. 

_______ _ _ _

“Bear? Wolves? Serial killer?” 

_______ _ _ _

Nothing. 

_______ _ _ _

“Come on man, I need to know what we’re up against here. Rabid dog? Escaped convict with a chainsaw?” 

_______ _ _ _

“Away.” The man’s labored breathing was even more evident when he spoke. 

_______ _ _ _

Sokka’s brows unfurrowed and he released the tension he didn’t know he was holding in his shoulder. The man’s voice was soft and quiet, nothing like what his exterior implied. It was unsteady and it shook, but it was gentle. 

_______ _ _ _

“Away from what?” 

_______ _ _ _

“Just,” the man gestures vaguely behind them, breaking eye contact, “away.” 

_______ _ _ _

“Okay, that’s fair I guess.” Against Sokka’s better judgement, he pulls the man’s arm around his neck and supports his weight. 

_______ _ _ _

“My cabin is close by and well-hidden. Bears and escaped convicts both have a hard time finding it so either way, we should be safe. Plus, I’m a fair shot.” 

_______ _ _ _

Sokka grins at that and looks down, attempting to make the man feel more comfortable, but the man’s eyes don’t meet his. His eyes look forward but Sokka can tell the guy isn’t really looking. Not that the man wasn’t able to see, which, by the look of the burn on his left eye he might not, but his eyes were glazed over and empty. The man looked like he just came from a place ravaged by war, a stark contrast to the peaceful mountain forest that Sokka now lived in. Besides animals, Sokka wasn’t aware of anyone in the area who would wish to do anyone any harm. Sokka wondered what the man was thinking and what he had just been through, and from the looks of it, debating if he even wants to know. 

_______ _ _ _

Sokka is so caught up in everything that has happened in just the past five minutes that he just now notices the distinct lack of warm clothing on the injured man. 

_______ _ _ _

“You went outside at this time of year with only sweatpants and a cotton long-sleeve shirt?! You do realize it’s only ten degrees over freezing outside right?” 

_______ _ _ _

When there’s no response Sokka mutters a small curse up to the sky and sighs before taking off his wolf pelt and placing it on the man’s shoulders. 

_______ _ _ _

Without saying a word, the man takes his free hand and grabs a hold of both sides, keeping it snug around his neck. He makes eye contact for just a second before looking back ahead, leaning a little closer to Sokka. 

_______ _ _ _

“Yeah, you’re welcome.” 

_______ _ _ _

When they arrive at the cabin, Sokka lets go of the man’s waist, giving him back his arm from around his neck, and digs around in his jacket pocket for his keys. The man holds himself up fairly well, which is a relief. There doesn’t seem to be any broken bones. 

_______ _ _ _

After Sokka opens the door and brushes his snowy boots off on the welcome mat, he holds it open for the stranger and waits. The man seems conflicted. He raises his foot just slightly before setting it back down, not committing to stepping across the threshold. Sokka notices he’s clad in old converse, which are falling apart at the toe and obviously letting some water in. _Great. _Sokka rolls his eyes internally. Now he has to worry about treating frostbite as well. _How long was this guy out here like this?___

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I promise my goal isn’t to fatten you up and turn you into a stew later, you can come in.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

The man looks up at him and makes eye contact, still unreadable. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I used to be a doctor. Well, not officially…but also nothing shady, I promise! I just dropped out so I could help my sick mom. Why am I even telling you this?” Sokka looks away, hands on his hips. The stranger tilts his head slightly and Sokka can’t quite tell if he’s confused or intrigued. After gesturing to the inside of his cabin one more time, the man bows his head and enters, the wolf skin still held tightly around his neck but with eyes more focused. He looked a little less lost. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Look, I have connections at the local hospital if you want me to take you to get treated.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

The man’s eyes widened in panic and immediately looked back at the door Sokka was starting to close. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No, no, it’s okay! Don’t freak out, okay? You can stay here for treatment instead if you want.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Sokka kicked himself mentally after those words left his mouth. What is he doing?! Inviting a stranger inside who he knows nothing about. What if this guy was the escaped convict Sokka kept joking about? He knew nothing about him! 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I always carry extra supplies. But I can’t promise you’d get treated as well as you could at the hospital which has, you know, actual doctors. With degrees. And more than a kitchen cabinet’s worth of herbal medicines and aspirin.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

The man just blinks at him, no response. He walks towards Sokka but instead goes around him entirely, heading for the kitchen. He finds the window and watches silently as the snow falls slowly, peacefully, without saying a word. _What is he looking at?_

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Sokka, at a loss, throws his hands up and follows him into the kitchen. _He’s gotta be in shock. Shit, he better be in shock…_

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Hey so-” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Thank you.” The man says while turning his head to look into Sokka’s eyes. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Sokka looks surprised but it quickly turns into relief and he answers with an, “Of course. Can you please come sit in the living room so I can assess the damage? I don’t mean to rush you but if that’s a burn like I think it is, time may be of the essence.” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The man nods and heads past him again to the living room. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Sokka returns from getting some supplies from his medicine cabinet to see the man staring at the empty fireplace with the same void expression on his face as earlier. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

When Sokka sits down next to him, the man goes to unclasp the wolf pelt. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No, please! Keep that around you. It’s uh, the only shock blanket I have.” He lets out an anxious giggle. “My wool ones are itchy, keep this one.” _Plus, it looks good on him anyways. _Not that Sokka was paying attention or anything.__

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The man opens his mouth to protest but closes it before saying anything, clutching the pelt even tighter. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I just realized I never introduced myself. I guess my bedside manner is already slipping, it’s only been a year since - nevermind. My name is Sokka. What is yours?” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The man looks down and starts tapping his feet together, nervous. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Lee.” The man says under his breath. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Lee?” A nod. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Okay, Lee, I’m going to touch your face now, is that okay?” Another nod. “Tell me if anything hurts too much.”

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	2. When your rabbit turns out to be a cute but traumatized boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assessing the damage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thanks to WhatMoreIsThereToSay for editing this! 
> 
> She will be naming the chapters from now on as well bc she's hilarious.
> 
> I will be updating every Friday so look out for those!

_ Zuko _

It was definitely a burn, and a bad one at that. Maybe if he had gotten help sooner it wouldn’t scar as bad but he has a feeling from the look on Sokka’s face that the damage is more permanent than he’d hoped.

“How did this happen?”

Zuko looked down, avoiding eye contact.

“Okay, you don’t have to tell me, Mr. Keeps Secrets, but from a medical perspective could you please let me know what kind of burn it is so I can treat it better? I promise I’m not trying to write your biography, I just need to know how this is going to react to treatment.”

“It was…boiling water.”  _ Don’t think about it, don’t think about it. _

He looks down, trying to suppress the memory of how it happened from surfacing, but it was too fresh to keep out. He’s just thankful Sokka didn’t look concerned about his last statement to keep prying.

“Oh good! Water.” 

It takes a couple seconds for what Sokka said to sink in before he back peddled.

“I meant that water heals more naturally than acid! I didn’t mean to- I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to say the burn was  _ good _ of course it’s not good, I just- oh my god, I’m so sorry! This is why I shouldn’t go back to medical school. God, if only Katara knew…”

Zuko appreciated the fact that Sokka was too deep in his own embarrassment to notice the smile creeping up on his face until it was a full one-sided grin.

“I’d be relieved about the grin if I wasn’t now concerned about damage to the left facial nerve. Can you raise your left brow?”

“Do I have a left brow?”

“Touché. Can you lift your forehead for me?”

“It- it hurts too much.”

_Oh god, that was pathetic._ _What is Sokka thinking right now?_

“What about a smile?”

He gives Sokka the sassiest one-eyed glare he can muster, hiding his relief that Sokka didn’t look phased by Zuko’s pain tolerance. He was too preoccupied thinking about whether or not Sokka thought he was pathetic to respond to his question, but thankfully Sokka continued anyway.

“Just enough to lift the sides of your mouth?”

Zuko liked that about him. He barely knew the guy but so far he’s thankful that Sokka seemed too enthusiastic and conversational to have the time between exchanges to worry about what people thought of him. He wished he was more like that.

Zuko gives a small smile.

“Okay, you can stop. I’m sorry I asked you to do that; I know it hurts I just needed to make sure.”

Zuko doesn’t know how to respond so he just nods.  _ Why does this guy keep apologizing? _ Before he has time to ruminate over this, Sokka is touching him again.

Holding lightly across his neck for support, Sokka runs his finger over the burn on the cheek lightly, then down the forehead, tip of the nose, and across the jaw. Zuko shivers from the touch, not used to gentle hands, or his injury.

“Could you feel my finger?”

“Yes.”  _ Please keep doing that. _

“The whole time?”

“Yes.”  _ It felt nice. _

“Are you cold?”

“No.”  _ But your hand on my neck feels like it’s burning. _

“A man of few words. My sister always says she wished I were more like that. I don’t seem to ever shut up.”

This wins Sokka another lopsided grin.

“Okay, I think we’re in luck. It’s only a second-degree burn and you don’t seem to have any immediate nerve damage. But some areas are already waxy and haven’t blistered which worries me that those parts may be deeper than others. If I’m honest, those will probably scar for good. Also, I can’t really check your eye yet. But there’s a chance the blistered areas will heal with time. Are you sure you don’t want me to take you to an actual hospital?”

Zuko shakes his head and his heart drops when he sees Sokka’s concerned sigh.

“Fine, it’s up to you.” Sokka turns his back to Zuko and walks back to the kitchen.

Who was he to put a stranger through this? It’s not Sokka’s fault that his father is a bastard. It’s not Sokka’s fault that his mom left him and his sister to deal with Ozai alone when they were only kids. It’s not Sokka’s fault that he lied to his father about his major in order to gain what was as close to acceptance as he would ever get, just to have it thrown back into his face, physically. It’s not Sokka’s fault that his home life is permanently ruined and he’s left to fend for himself. It’s not Sokka’s fault that he’s afraid Ozai will come looking for him in order to finish the job. Or was that a hope? A hope that he cared that much to even find him? It didn’t matter.

“Let me boil some devil’s club for the pain and inflammation. Do you uh, like tea that tastes like hot leaf juice?”

_ Dear god that sounded awful. _ He’s never heard tea explained that way but now that he thinks about it, isn’t that  _ all  _ tea? Regardless, this description of tea has got to be the worst and he was not looking forward to having to drink it. 

Despite the fresh injury, the disgust shows on his face.

“Me neither, but it’s better than the smell of me burning the leaves for their ashes and trying to rub that evenly onto your face. While it boils in the kettle, I’ll put some seal oil and antibiotic ointment on it though.”

_ Seal oil _ ?!

“The burnt ashes are starting to sound more pleasant by the second.”

“Oh, he’s sassy!”

Sokka pokes his head out of the kitchen and gives him an excited, toothy smile. Something in him wants to be the cause of many more of those.

“Someone’s coming out of it I see, that’s a good sign!” Sokka was beaming. He looked proud of him?

Zuko prays that Sokka can’t see the blush creeping up on his cheek.

“Are you sure you’re not feeling cold? You look flushed, I really hope you don’t get a fever or my hand might be forced.”

_ Damn it. _

“I’m fine, really! It’s the uh, wolf pelt. Warm. Um, I’m gonna take it off now, if that’s okay?”

Sokka comes in with a cup of clear green tea in his hands and sets it on the table. 

“I’m going to put some ointment on your skin real quick and then you need to drink this. It’s…strong.”

Sokka leans in with his hands covered in a white oily cream, “Close your eye completely.” He complies.

The burn stingsand throbs as he winces from Sokka’s touch. He’s been running for so long on adrenaline that he hadn’t had time to feel safe enough to feel pain. It hits all at once. And it’s almost unbearable.

“Will it always hurt this bad?”

“No.” Sokka pauses, “I mean, I doubt it. I hope not.”

“Me too.” His voice was quiet still and he hated how it sounded. He wasn’t a helpless child anymore, why did his voice sound so small? The last thing he needed right now was pity.

“Hopefully once the inflammation goes down around your eye there won’t be so much pressure and you’ll be able to open it without so much resistance and pain. That being said, until then it might…leak.”

_ Leak?!  _ Zuko has never been good at hiding what he’s thinking. His face is always readable despite the amount of effort he puts in to hide how he feels. Even now.

_ Sokka _

“I know, man, look I’m trying to be honest! The eye is dynamic, and we like our facial expressions so that’ll slow the healing process. Just tell me if there’s leaking so I can look at it and know which eye drops to get. Fingers crossed these blisters don’t pop or I’m gonna have to go out in this weather and get stronger antibiotics than what I usually carry. You okay with sleeping on your right side only?”

He nods, eyes still closed. Sokka takes a moment to really look at him. The lines in his face have smoothed out from earlier. Sokka might even dare to say he looked at peace. Well, if half his face wasn’t covered in seal oil and antibiotic cream covering a blistered and waxy second-degree burn, that is. Curiosity crept up again but Sokka kept his mouth shut. It was none of his business and he’s sure a burn victim doesn’t want to bring up a trauma so fresh in their mind. Shit, he was probably still processing it himself. 

“I don’t mean to pry,” Lee gave him a wary glare, “but how long has it been since...uh-”

“I got it last night.”

“Last night?!” It was almost 5pm the next day, was this guy insane?

“I mean, sorry let me try that again. Last night? Okay that’s fine, totally fine.” The strain in his voice gave it away that it was in fact, not fine.

“Wait, have you been out since last night?”  _ Please say no. _

“Um, well…”

“Lee –”

“I’m fine, okay?” Irritation was now noticeable in Lee’s voice. Sokka took this as a good sign.

“I know. And it must have been really hard on you. I can’t imagine almost a whole day without any- nevermind. Have you eaten?”

“Yes.” Sokka grins at Lee’s ill-timed stomach growling and chuckled at the look of pure disbelief on Lee’s face, as if his own stomach was a traitor.

“Great, I’m making stewed sea prunes and grilled salmon, it’s settled.”

Lee sighs deeply but can’t help the lopsided grin from creeping up again.

_ Zuko _

“You don’t have to, I’m-”

“I would appreciate you not telling me what to do, a man’s gotta eat and  _ this man _ ,” Sokka points to himself with both of his thumbs, “is making stewed sea prunes and salmon. If you don’t like my cooking, you don’t have to partake~”

_ Why is Sokka so hard to argue with? He is just trying to be considerate. Why is a stranger being so damn hospitable? _ It would be infuriating if he wasn’t being so nice. Now that he thinks about it, why w _ as _ he being so nice? What are his motives? Zuko would take more time to consider if the pain in his face wasn’t unbearable to the point where he couldn’t think about anything but the burn.

“How is the tea?”

“It’s nice.” He clarifies when Sokka lookes skeptical. “Fine, when I take a sip my brain is so preoccupied by the horrible taste that for a moment I forget that I have a burn the size of a small European country on my face.”

“Ah, I see. Glad I could help.”

He knows the smile that Sokka just gave him was to try and make Zuko feel more comfortable, but he saw right through it. He vows to try and make every smile that comes out of Sokka from now on reach his deep blue eyes. It’s the least he could do, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: Sokka gives Zuko an ASMR haircut but with feelings


	3. Chapter 3: ASMR haircut but with feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sokka looks at Zuko's burn while he sleeps and decides he needs to shave his hair. Feelings ensue~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to WhatMoreIsThereToSay for editing and coming up with the chapter title. She's a lifesaver :)

_ Sokka _

The fire is going now. A strong, warm aura lit up the room, taking the sun’s place. Dinner is uneventful. His guest is quiet, very quiet, and doesn’t eat much. Sokka doesn’t take it personally, chewing is probably not the most comfortable movement for the man, and by the looks of the uneaten stew, sea prunes are not his favorite. They’re an acquired taste, for sure, but they give Sokka a form of nostalgia that he’s been craving more and more recently.

Lee has been lying on his back on Sokka’s couch for a while now after excusing himself from the table. His face looks oddly relaxed, covered in as many burn relief and antibiotic creams that Sokka could find in his cabinet. Once the storm clears up, he’d go get better supplies.

He wonders how long the man would stay. Did he even want to? Would Sokka wake up and find him gone? He seemed the type, but Sokka hopes that isn’t the case. But why? Why did he care so much about this stranger who he’s only known for a few hours?

Pushing those thoughts aside, he wonders if the man is sleeping. It sure looks that way; his breathing is slow and regular, eyes closed.

Sokka stands up from the table and walks slowly over to Lee, attempting to not step on any of the creaky wooden floorboards of the cabin on his way. 

Deciding that hovering over the injured stranger was probably very creepy, Sokka sits down next to him. Looking at the burn, Sokka knew he’d need to cover it soon. He’d put it off too long, dreading having to tell the guy that in order for him to properly treat the sides he’s going to need to shave his head. Tonight.

Normally, Sokka wouldn’t think twice about having to shave a patient’s head. Medically, the burnt skin would heal best without any nearby long hairs sticking to any of the applications or getting caught in the skin as it heals, especially at this stage where parts are still soft and inflamed. But the man has such long, shiny dark hair that goes down to his waist. It was quite beautiful actually.  _ Don’t be selfish, Sokka.  _ He just hopes Lee will understand it’s for the best, especially if he doesn’t get professional treatment.

How long has he been growing it out?  _ It must have taken years. _ Did it hold any significance? What if he was religious? What if he tells Sokka he can’t? Does Sokka have the right to insist?

Did it  _ need _ to be shaved?

Sokka gently tilts Lee’s head to the side to inspect his left hairline more closely.

_ It definitely did. _

He’d avoided this area entirely as to not upset the man, but it needs treatment badly. Sokka knows he can’t wait until morning. The man looks at peace for once and a pit in Sokka’s stomach aches at the thought of having to wake him up soon, not only to deliver the news but to continue treating the area which would likely be extremely painful.

Sokka’s hand drifts over the side of Lee’s face, pushing back loose strands of hair that had gotten tangled in the ointment and inflamed skin.  _ They would need to be cut soon. _ The burn on the far left side of his head is patchy and uneven, hidden under twisted areas of long, black hair. Sokka should have paid more attention to these smaller burns earlier, but he knew taking the time to treat Lee’s left eye was critical and well worth the time dedicated. 

Some of the skin had blistered around the strands, leaving Sokka worried about what method of removal would be the safest and cleanest. He might have to leave some patches for now but getting as much off as safely as he can needs to happen sooner rather than later.

For now he soaks in the image of the man sleeping soundly.

He can’t help how his eyes linger over Lee’s face. The man is, by any definition, attractive. It’s a purely innocent, objective thought, Sokka tells himself. Who wouldn’t find the man’s sharp features attractive? Sokka is just appreciating, that’s all. Nothing more. A man’s allowed to look!

He thought back to hours ago when he had seen the man’s eyes for the first time. He hadn’t had the luxury of appreciating them at the time but now that he’s thinking about it, they are so unique in color. The gold is so striking that Sokka wonders what they would look like focused once the shock wears off. The impact would rival that of the greatest golden eagle he’d ever seen, he was sure of it. He shivers at the thought.

As if on cue, Lee opens his eyes. His left is covered mostly by the puffy, inflamed skin, but the golden irises still shine bright and blazing underneath. Lee quickly reaches out and grasps onto Sokka’s outstretched hand that was still hovering just over his hairline.

Sokka’s breath catches in his throat as realization of what it looks like creeps in. Who did he think he was touching a sleeping, injured stranger as they slept while ogling creepily at their face? The guy must think he was a creep for sure.

“I’m sorry I shouldn’t have touched. I just wanted to check the side, I- missed this section earlier.”

Lee releases his hand and closes his eyes again, nodding.

Sokka’s chest tightens in anticipation of what he’d say next as Lee starts again, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have been so harsh.”

_ He’s sorry? _

“Did I hurt you?” Lee peaks at Sokka with his right eye, obviously trying not to strain his face but still trying to gauge Sokka’s expression.

“You don’t need to apologize!”

“But did I hurt you?” He sounds sad.

“No, of course not.” Those words seem to surprise the man, but he just closes his eye again and goes back to how he was.

“You can keep touching it, I don’t mind.”  _ He doesn’t mind? _

Lee’s voice gets quieter, “It’s not like you could make it any worse.”  _ Oh no. _

“Well, actually, about that…” Lee opens his right eye at him again, waiting.

“I’m gonna need to shave your head.”  _ Here we go. _

Lee slowly looks up at the ceiling, away from Sokka, and closes his eyes again without a word.

Sokka waits a moment before starting again, “I can’t treat the burns properly when it’s caught-”

“Fine.” He sounds relatively unphased but something his tone makes Sokka positive that the man is trying to hide how he really feels.

“Are you…sure?” Sokka asks tentatively.

_ Zuko _

“I don’t have much of a choice do I?” He completely resigns. At the moment he can’t muster the fight in him.  _ Funny. _

“I guess not. I’m really sorry.” Sokka sounds genuine. “I promise I’ll stop poking around at it soon. Once the hair is out of the way. It’ll be freeing! Once I wrap it up in something moist, you can go back to sleep.”

_ Freeing? If only he knew how ironic that statement was. _

“I wasn’t asleep.”

“Oh.  _ Oh. _ ” Zuko can see the embarrassment seep in as Sokka’s neck and cheeks flush, realizing what that meant.

“It’s okay, I really don’t mind. I’m gonna have to get used to people staring at my scar anyways, might as well start now.”

“No, that wasn’t it at all! I wasn’t staring at it like that, I was…well I was-”

“I know, it’s different. You’re a doctor. I shouldn’t take it out on you. Just forget I said anything.”

Of course Sokka was looking at his horrible burn and wondering what kind of monster you had to be to get one like this. Why wouldn’t he be? What else could he possibly have been looking at for so long? The spot of acne on his chin? The helix piercing on his left ear that had almost closed up entirely after his father found out about it two years ago and made him take it out? Of course it was the scar.

_ Sokka _

“So are you gonna cut my hair or not?”

Sokka ignores the tone of Lee’s voice, considering that the man has probably just experienced the worst day of his life and on top of it is about to have two feet of his hair cut off. God knows how long it took to grow out, leaving him bald with all the scars fully visible to the world.

He hasn’t known Lee for very long, but he has a feeling that this guy isn’t the type to like having strangers ask about his personal life. How many people in the future would stare? How many would ask hurtful, personal questions? How was Lee going to continue to hide himself behind his mysterious persona with such an obvious, visible scar? Sokka hoped that he wouldn’t. He didn’t need to.

“So impatient!” Sokka smiles. If he smiles through it, the atmosphere won’t be so depressing.

Right?

“How much is this going to hurt?” 

Wrong.

“Um, I’ll do my best to not hit anything. It might take a while because of that?”

“It’s not like I’m going anywhere.” His statement is oddly comforting. Does this mean he’s staying? Sokka won’t wake up to an empty house like he has been for nearly a year?

He shakes his head to snap out of it.  _ This isn’t about you, Sokka. Pull yourself together. _

_ Zuko _

Sokka’s large hands fumble for a few moments, trying to collect each strand of hair into one handful without pulling on the skin.

Sokka looks nervous, the obvious shake in his hands proving it.

Holding Zuko’s long hair in a pseudo, loose ponytail in one of his hands, Sokka brings his other up so the razor just touches the edge of the collected hair.

_ Here it goes. _

Zuko closes his eyes just as he hears the sharp sound of metal bite its way through his long locks. Sokka’s movements are uncertain and cautious, drawing out the sawing noises as the blade struggles to go clean through.

The sound stops suddenly and much of the weight on his head is gone. Sokka’s hands leave his head and Zuko feels empty. What word did Sokka use? Free?

The sound of an electric razor startles him. He closes his eyes tighter.

He doesn’t feel free. He remembers a time Azula came back from a haircut with a bob back in middle school. She paraded around the house exclaiming how  _ weightless  _ it was. How  _ freeing  _ it felt.

Zuko doesn’t feel that way at all. His stomach can’t even churn. It’s weighed down deep, unmoving. His feet feel like lead and stick firmly to the ground as his head sinks forward slowly, his shoulders failing to support what feels like 100 pounds of added weight.

He doesn’t feel so good.

As the warm vibration of the razor climbs up the right side of his head, Zuko’s body starts to tremble. Everything was too much. Everything hurt. The pain was nothing compared to the memories that start to surface, bubbling up vividly. He’s completely exposed.

His hair had been his only form of self-expression for as long as he could remember. Of course his father didn’t prefer it long but he ignored it which was as good of an acceptance as he was going to get. He’d had to hide his true self from his family and friends for so long that his hair became a way of expressing who he was without fear of rejection. They didn’t know about his passions and interests, his relationships, his sexuality. He’d convinced them that well-groomed, long hair and fashionable clothes were a way of showing class and tradition. He was so careful, making sure he gave no reason for them to interpret otherwise.

But it’s gone now. All of it. Years of careful grooming and care. Rare days where he would look in the mirror and see his reflection, smiling at his long locks and thinking that maybe he’s worth something. Taking the extra time in the morning to blow dry it, keeping his mind off of other things. Spending time coming up with crazy ways to put it up, letting himself have fun for a few minutes in private. No one had to know.

He remembers letting his secret rendezvous run their hands through it, listening to them tell him how  _ pretty  _ it was. How he had done a  _ good job _ . How they were  _ lucky _ to be with someone this handsome. He wondered what they’d think now. Not that it matters, he’d never see any of them again anyways. That’s how he planned it. That’s how he liked it. Right?

Silent tears start to hit the wooden floor under him in quiet thumps. Zuko knows he shouldn’t be straining his face this much, but he can’t help it. The more he strained, the quieter his cry would be. The less choked up he’d get. The less chance there was of Sokka noticing. Zuko didn’t want his pity. And he especially didn’t want to  _ talk  _ about it. 

_ It’s just hair, get over it. _

“I’ve gotten rid of what I could with the quick electric one. I’m gonna move to a manual one now as I get closer to your injury. It’s not hurting is it?”

Zuko shakes his head but it’s too late, Sokka has already moved in front to see his face.

_ Sokka _

His eyes widened as he sees the scrunched-up pain on Zuko’s face. Thick, wet tears run down lines of his face and fall to the floor.

“Oh god, I’ve hurt you! I’m so sorry I thought I was being careful. Tell me where it hurts. I can stop!”

Sokka frantically moves around Zuko’s head, repositioning it while he looks it over, obviously trying to find any burns that he hadn’t seen and accidentally run over. It all looks clear. What had hurt so bad? Had he been putting pressure on his injuries without realizing?

“It doesn’t hurt.” His voice is choked and shaky.

“You know you’re not very convincing, right?”

“All those years of theatre wasted.” The resemblance of a grin spreads across Lee’s lips as he talks.

_ Phew. His sense of humor is horrible but at least he has one.  _

Sokka is starting to think that Katara had been wrong all those times growing up and that humor really was a magical fix-all.

“I’m almost done and then I’ll wrap it up comfortably, okay?” A nod.

“It doesn’t hurt, really. I promise.” His voice is lighter now despite the residual wetness audible in his throat.

“You know it’s allowed to hurt right? You’re allowed to hurt. I know if I had a burn this bad I’d be the biggest baby all the way to the hospital. My sister would get so sick of my whining that she’d probably take me out with my dad’s old shot gun before the end of the week.”

_ Zuko _

“It doesn’t hurt.” He was stubborn and Sokka doesn’t look amused.

“Yeah, right, and I’m a flying bison.”

“No really, I wasn’t crying because of the pain. Your clunky hands are surprisingly gentle.”

“Woooow. Clunky hands. I was always told I could never be a surgeon and after all these years I finally know the reason why. You’re lucky you didn’t need stitches anywhere.”

His smile gives away any sign of seriousness in his response.

“So you were crying because of how horrible of a barber I am, then? I don’t blame you; I’ve never cut hair before. But I think I know my way around an electric razor.”

Sokka walks around the chair and stands in front of Zuko. Zuko doesn’t correct him.

“Let me take a look.”

Zuko watches as Sokka’s sharp blue eyes concentrate on his newly bald head, looking for any missed spots. The right side of his lip is pulled in, gently bit between his teeth. He wonders if Sokka knows about this habit. He looked so focused about something so trivial.  _ Cute. _

“It looks good!”

When Zuko gives him an incredulous look he persists.

“I’m serious! No need to cry, you actually pull it off really well! Wait here, I’ll go get a mirror.”

Zuko’s not sure if he really wants to see, but he appreciates Sokka’s unfounded enthusiasm. He’d seen his injury just a few, horrible times: a gas station bathroom, reflections off of guard rails, his phone.

_ Shit, his phone. _ He needs to get rid of that first thing tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everyone for the support! It keeps me going~
> 
> Chapters updated every Friday.


	4. Chapter 4: The One Where Sokka is the White Guy in a Horror Movie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko decides to stay the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to WhatMoreIsThereToSay for editing!

_ Sokka _

“I look like an egg.” Sokka watches through the hand mirror as Zuko reaches up to the top of his newly bald head and touches it.

“Yes, but a very cute egg!” Sokka’s never really had a filter and he’s not about to start now.

Zuko looks up at him, unamused, with his right brow raised. Thankfully, he lets that comment go. He looks back into the mirror and sighs.

“And I thought I had a difficult time getting dates before…”

“Women love eggs!”  _ Was he into women? _ Part of Sokka hopes he wasn’t. 

He continues, “I mean, everyone is! Who isn’t into eggs?”  _ That covers all the bases. _

“Dear god.” Zuko looks as if his words physically pain him.

“I for one,” Sokka places a hand on his chest and closes his eyes for dramatic effect, “love eggs.”

“I’m begging you to stop.”

“Sorry, too much? It’ll grow out fast, don’t worry about it. It suits your bone structure!” Sokka’s always been a great bullshitter but this time he isn’t making things up. He really doesn’t look all that bad, it's kind of unfair to be honest.

“I’m going to bed and hoping in the morning this is all just a horrible nightmare.”

Sokka’s face perks up, “You mean you’re staying?”

Lee’s eyes look down as he starts fiddling with his fingers, “Oh, um. I’m sorry, I should go. I don’t know what I was thinking. That was silly. I’ve just had a long day, I’m not thinking straight.”

“No, no! Stay! Please, I was just surprised because you gave off strong loner vibes. I was hoping you’d stay.” _Oh god, that was weird wasn’t it?_ _He didn’t mean for it to come out that way._

“Are you sure? I’d protest more but…” he trails off, looking around the room for the rest of his thoughts.

“I know, don’t worry about it. Sorry if that came off as strangely enthusiastic, I just would feel better if I didn’t release a patient of mine into the Alaskan wilderness before I was done treating them. You can stay until it’s healed. Or until... you know.” Sokka did not know.

“Thanks.” His voice is quiet.

_ Zuko _

_ Shit. Shit shit shit shit shit. Stay? Until it’s healed? _

He doesn’t have much of a choice, but everything is happening so fast. It was only last night that he was sitting at dinner with his dad and his sister on break from university. Now look at him. Sitting on a stranger’s couch as they bandage a deep burn on his face in Middle of Nowhere, Alaska, stuck with a med-school dropout turned hermit whose idea of fine cuisine is sea prunes.

Oh. And he’s completely bald. Perfect.

Not like he was one for having good plans anyways. He’s always been more of a plan-as-one-goes type of person. Things always had a way of working out for him in the past. One might argue it hasn’t worked out very well for him but hey, he’s alive isn’t he?

The moist bandages feel good on his skin. He’s thankful for the pressure the cloth applies to his eye, stopping it from opening or scrunching up painfully when he wants to look out the other.

“There, I think you’re set. It shouldn’t move while you sleep, but try and stay on your back or right side.”

Sokka’s eyes were shining as he looked at his work, obviously proud of the makeshift head bandage that went down diagonally across Zuko’s face, covering the burn entirely.

“How does it feel?”

Zuko’s heart tightens as Sokka’s hands leave his face. He was being so careful and kind, for what? For Zuko? A stranger who’s done nothing but lie and snap at him? He must have an ulterior motive. No one would show anybody this much kindness without getting something out of it, right?

Sokka’s small smile and bright eyes look hopefully down at him, reminding Zuko that he hasn’t answered the question. If his delusionally optimistic uncle were here, he’d tell Zuko that Sokka is just a genuinely nice person who’s lonely and values his company, no strings attached. But that was unrealistic even for lucky people, not to mention downright impossible for someone like himself. There had to be something, Zuko just didn’t know what it was yet.

“It’s fine. Good. I mean, as good as it’s going to get. I guess. Thanks.”  _ What are you blabbering about? _

“I’ll take it!” The smile reaches his eyes this time. “Wake me up if you need anything.”

Sokka heads towards the hallway before turning around with his finger up, “No, scratch that. Wake me up if there’s an emergency. But like, not a small emergency. A big emergency.”

“So, like, if the house is on fire?”

“Right, but only if it’s making its way to my bedroom. I never really cared for the kitchen anyways.”

“You got it.” Sokka smiles sleepily at the banter before turning back.

“Sweet dreams.”

_ Sweet dreams? _

Zuko doubts he’ll be able to fall asleep tonight. And even if he could he was sure there wouldn’t be any sweet dreams awaiting him. Wait, was he supposed to respond to that?! What the hell was he supposed to say? Goodnight, darling? Well if he was, it was too late. The door to Sokka’s room just shut, leaving Zuko alone in the living room.

~~~~~~~~~~

The fire is strangely comforting. He’s not used to sleeping with any lights on, but he’s thankful for it tonight. He didn’t want to be left alone in the dark. Not that he’s scared or anything! Definitely not. He’s just cautious is all. Yeah. Why couldn’t he be?

He let his right eye shut, the warm, orange glow still slightly visible through his lid.

_ It’ll be fine. He’s safe. Probably. _

_ Sokka _

His hand hovers over the door handle inside his bedroom. _Should he lock it?_ _No, that’s rude. But what if- Yeah, he definitely should. Oh come on, he’s just a traumatized, skinny guy. Don’t lock it. But you don’t know anything about him… God why was this so hard?!_

He leaves the doorknob as is and lays down in bed, letting the exhaustion of the day settle in. He reaches for his phone and finds a missed call from Katara. He hovers over the call button before realizing what time it was.

_ I’ll call her in the morning. _

He pulls up messaging, feeling guilty about leaving her hanging.

Sokka:

Hey, sorry I missed your call earlier. I may or may not have rescued an injured stranger from the wilderness, almost shot him, and then spent all night trying to take care of him. But everything’s fine! He’s staying the night… If you don’t hear back from me tomorrow, just know that I love you and tell Aang he can have my DVD collection. I lived a good life. Night.

~Sent 2:17am~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is so short. Longer ones to come! Aang and boomerang in the next chapter~
> 
> Update every Friday.


	5. Chapter 5: Polar Plunging is not Medically Advisable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two bros standing at a lakeside, 5 ft apart cuz they’re not gay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to WhatMoreIsThereToSay for editing! And for the amazing titles for the chapters that make my heart happy. Enjoy!

Sokka wakes up earlier than he’d prefer. Sleep wasn’t easy. Checking his phone, he finds several texts from his sister.

Katara:

You did realize while sending that text last night that it would send me into a full-on panic, right?! I require a detailed explanation when you’re awake. You better not have died or I’m gonna kill you. Call me when you’re up.

~Received 7:03am~

Katara:

Also, Aang says he doesn’t want your DVDs.

~Received 7:04am~

_ Ungrateful bastard. _

Katara:

I’m worried about you. I think we should talk about you going back to med-school again. You can’t keep doing this. It’s time to get back into the real world.

~Received 7:10am~ 

_ Sigh _

He debates turning back over and falling back asleep. This world was real. He was fine! If last night proved anything, it was that he definitely shouldn’t be a doctor. A proper doctor would have taken someone with an injury that serious to a hospital and not let them dictate treatment. Right?

He doesn’t know anymore. Maybe that’s the problem.

With another deep sigh he stands up to change.

He wonders if the man is still in his house. What would he do if he wasn’t? Hell, what is he going to do if he is? He’d need to come up with a plan, Sokka’s good at those.

The sound of a distant giggle catches Sokka’s attention.  _ What the hell? _ He didn’t peg the stranger for the giggling type.

Curious, he puts his phone in his back pocket and heads for the living room.

Just as he’s about to round the corner he hears a low growl. 

_ Shit! Suki!  _

How could he forget to warn the man about his giant, stubborn husky that comes and goes as she pleases?

He turns the corner, relieved that Suki isn’t threatening the man. He finds Suki and Lee playing tug of war with one of her ropes in the living room. She is definitely winning, but Lee is putting up one hell of an adorable fight. He doesn’t stand a chance.

Sokka stops in the doorway, not wanting to ruin the scene in front of him. Suki doesn’t get a lot of visitors now that they’ve moved this far out from the city.

The corners of Lee’s mouth pull upwards and there’s fire in his eyes. Lee is at a disadvantage, trying to keep Sokka’s wolf pelt on his back with one hand, clasping two corners in front of him around his bare chest haphazardly.  _ So, he sleeps shirtless? _ Sokka tells himself not to stare; it wouldn’t be appropriate. He isn’t ogling the man’s toned figure, no, he is simply surprised that someone so mysteriously closed off to the world emotionally would leave himself so vulnerable at night, in a stranger’s house no less. 

_ This guy makes no sense. _

Sokka tries not to laugh as Lee attempts to both cover himself and fight Suki at the same time. He is failing on both accounts, letting out a small laugh as Suki’s offense pulls him forward one large step, causing the pelt to slip down. His shoulders are left exposed as the pelt slips, the white light from the window reflects off of them as snow patiently continues to fall in the background. 

Sokka could get used to the view.

A smile creeps across Sokka’s lips as he takes another step into the room.

This catches Lee’s eye and it widens in surprise as he lets go of the rope suddenly, falling backwards and landing on his ass. Hard.

_ Idiot. _

“Good morning.” Sokka says cheerfully. Suki, unconcerned with her defeated opponent, quickly turns to greet Sokka happily while showing off her newly won rope.

“Hi.” Lee stands up, wiping off his ass and pulling his crumpled-up shirt back on hurriedly. A light blush spreads across his cheeks.

“She doesn’t usually like strangers. I’m honestly just glad she didn’t maul you.”

“Me too. I, uh, would like to keep at least one eye.”

Sokka isn’t sure if the guy has a strange sense of humor or if he’s just awkward. Either way, he appreciates the attempt.

“How are you feeling?” The guy looks like he hasn’t slept in days.

_ Zuko _

“Fine.”

“Is the bandage okay for now? I’ll change it again tonight unless it’s dried out.” 

_ Right. Tonight. Because he was staying here. _

“Oh, um. It’s good.”

He sits down on one of the dining room chairs sideways, facing Sokka, and lets Suki come up to him for more pets.

“Good. She really likes you! I’m surprised.”

_ Surprised?  _ The sass must have shown on his face because Sokka clarifies rather quickly.

“She’s just protective! And biased, because I’m so great.” Sokka claps his hands together and raises his voice, “Right, Suki?!” 

She leaves Zuko’s hands immediately to bark in agreement at Sokka, rolling over as her tail wags against the cabin floor. Sokka rubs her belly enthusiastically.

Zuko can't tell if Sokka is being obnoxious on purpose to try and humor him or if this is Sokka’s way of sarcastically handling his insecurities. He isn’t sure which one is better. Regardless, Zuko smiles.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zuko swirls his spoon around in an empty bowl. Sounds of metal on porcelain fill the room as Suki’s ears perk up, unbothered. 

“What are you thinking about?” Sokka asks.

“Oh, um. Nothing.”

Sokka remains quiet but his eyes never leave Zuko, waiting. Zuko is looking down at his empty bowl, desperately hoping Sokka’s burning gaze will find another target. Something wells up inside him angrily and he wants to burst out, but he holds back. Years of therapy behind his father’s back at college helped him deal with his temper. Why did he even feel mad? What is he mad about? Who is he mad about? Whoever it is, it definitely isn’t Sokka.  _ Don’t take this out on him. _

Zuko takes a deep breath. He looks up and meets Sokka’s gaze, uneasy. His eyes aren’t harsh despite their sharp blue hue. He wants to tell him everything.  _ That’s stupid.  _ He’s never wanted to tell anyone everything in his life. Why the hell would he want to tell this guy, who he’s only known for a day, his life story? He must be at a new low. It’ll pass soon, he hopes. 

He looks down at his spoon, a blurry reflection stares back reminding him of yesterday.  _ Definitely a new low. _

“I have a favor to ask you.” 

Sokka perks up, “Go on.”

“I...is there a... do you have a lake or something? Nearby?”

Sokka looks puzzled but he answers with a bright tone.

“Well I sure as hell don't  _ own  _ one, but there’s a lake within walking distance if that’s what you mean.”

“Could you...take me there?”

“Listen, dude, I know when I found you you were wearing fuckall in nearly freezing temperatures  _ overnight _ which probably makes you some kind of genetic freak since you didn’t get frostbite or anything, but for fucks sake you cannot go  _ swimming _ in this weather. The lake is barely dethawed as it is and the snow overnight didn’t help.”

“No, no I’m not trying to go  _ swimming _ , jeez. How dumb do you think I am?” 

Sokka opens his mouth but just gets out a shaky breath before Lee continues, “Nevermind, don’t answer that question. Please just help me with this.”

“You know you’re one strange dude, right?”

Zuko just shrugs. 

Sokka stands up from the table, grabbing a winter coat from the rack by the door and holding it outstretched towards him.

“You’re lucky I’m an extremely curious person. Although if this is a waste of my time, I’m making sea prunes again for dinner.”

“That’s fair.” Zuko takes the coat. It smells like the fireplace he slept next to and, well, Sokka. It’s nice. “Thanks.”

“You know, usually I’m the type to not do anything unless I get debriefed and can plan ahead. I’m trusting you here.” 

_ You shouldn’t. _

“What’s different now?”

“I don’t know. But I’m enjoying it. It’s kinda fun. I think I needed a change in routine.”

“What do you normally do?”

They step out of the cabin, leaving Suki behind, and head down a path to their left.

“He likes small talk now? That’s new.”

“No, I don’t! Forget I said anything.” The anger bubbles up again. He feels it tug on his chest as he breathes in the cold morning air, simmering it.

“No, it’s too late! No take backs! I mostly take care of the house, go hunting, fishing, sketch in the woods, take Suki on walks. Well, mostly she takes me on walks if I’m honest…” 

Sokka trails off, eyes fully engaged with his surroundings, looking entirely too content about the amount of snow currently on the ground. Zuko just wants to be back in the cabin as soon as possible.  _ How can this guy stand it out here? _

“Is that...all?” 

It takes Sokka a moment to respond.

“Hmm? Oh, yeah, I guess.”

_ Weird.  _

“You just seem like the type of person who doesn’t sit still easily.”

Sokka looks down at him, intrigued, and waits.

“I just mean… I don’t know. Nevermind.”

“No, tell me! What kind of person do I seem like?” 

There’s a soft smile on Sokka’s face.

_ Fun. Free. Someone that family and friends would actually want to be around. _

“I don’t know. Not such a hermit, I guess.”

_ Sokka _

_ A hermit?! _

“I’m not a hermit!” He looks down at Zuko, concerned.

“Oh. Sorry.” He doesn’t look sorry.

“Do I really seem like a hermit?” Concern still spreads across his eyebrows.

“I mean… a little?”

_ Pfft, what does he know? Sokka gets out! He does! And people visit! When they can. When was the last time that happened again? Just last month! Wait, no… two months?  _

A close screech from overhead catches their attention. Looking up, Sokka smiles.

“Hawky!”

He looks down at Zuko to find a thoroughly confused expression on his face.

“Its name is...Hawky?”

“They all have names. Albeit, not all of them are original. You run out after a while, okay?” 

_ Holy shit he might be a hermit… _

_ Zuko _

As they continue down the trail, Sokka continues naming off the wildlife they see.

“...and over there is Yue, look how camouflaged she is after the snow last night. Don’t you just love arctic foxes?! They’re so pretty.”

He looks so enamored by it.  _ Cute. _

“Oh look, Toph! We must be getting close to the lake, the beavers are showing up. She had a nasty eye infection last year but after a couple rounds of antibiotics, it cleared up. She’s blind though, you can tell. She’s got two kids now. Still haven’t found the male, now that I think about it. That’s unusual for beavers...”

Something in Zuko’s chest pulls up at him. What is it like to be so needed? To be able to blabber away freely about your passions to a stranger without any fear of judgement or rejection? 

“Well, here we are!”

Zuko stops as the breath catches in his throat. The water is calm and reflects the mountains and trees like a giant mirror. Splinters of ice scatter across the water, cutting through as if shards of glass are piercing its surface. Broken mirrors are supposed to bring bad luck, but Zuko never believed in any of that bullshit anyways. This scene couldn’t bring anything malicious. Plus, he’s pretty sure he’s accumulated enough bad luck for a lifetime. He can afford to enjoy this.

“What’s its name?” Zuko asks softly. If the blind beaver had a name, this lake sure as hell deserved one.

“Um…well…”

It had to have a name!

Sokka sighs, “It’s...Lake Seclusion.”

_ Oh my god. _

“Right. And you’re _ not _ a hermit.” The corner of Zuko’s right mouth turns up.

“I DIDN’T NAME IT, OKAY?! I JUST LIVE NEAR IT!” Sokka throws his hands out in front of him, eyes wide and persuasive. 

Zuko lets out a small laugh and instantly regrets it. Not that the pain was too bad, which it was, but the look of triumph on Sokka’s face made his ears burn. Why did Sokka look so happy whenever he was? Wasn’t Sokka just mad at him? 

_ This guy didn’t make any sense.  _

Not wasting any time, Zuko pulls his phone out of his back pocket. It had been off since he left home but he knew he needed to refrain from the temptation of turning it on, just in case. 

His grip on it becomes stronger as he looks down at his reflection. He wonders for a second if Azula had tried to contact him. Did she even care? They never had the best sibling relationship, but they had their own way of supporting each other when it mattered. This mattered. But it was too late now. It was better this way. He can’t go back. 

He feels anger climb to his throat and start to sting his eyes. He closes his right one, hoping he’ll be able to blame the cold weather on the flush he’s sure covers his face. 

With one swift movement, Zuko curves his arm behind his body and throws his phone up high in an arc towards the middle of the lake. 

As he watches it fall, Zuko silently wishes that Sokka doesn’t think he’s too crazy.  _ Why does he care so much about what Sokka thinks? _

It hits the water with a small splash, barely making a sound at this distance. It sinks instantly, lost under the reflection of the sky. The shine of the surface recovers quickly with no evidence that anything had disturbed its peace.

He slowly turns his head towards Sokka, afraid at what expression is going to greet him.

To his surprise, Sokka wasn’t even looking. His face was turned backwards, hidden by the fur of his hood as his body twists to grab something off of his backpack.

_ What the hell was he doing?  _

Sokka turns back quietly, now holding a blue boomerang in his hands. 

“What are y-” 

Sokka, ignoring Zuko entirely, twists his arm across his chest while stepping back and lets the boomerang rip. The sound of it spinning is only audible for a short second as it soars towards the lake.

_ Sokka _

The look on Lee’s face was priceless. 

“What if it doesn’t come back?” The boomerang reaches its farthest point.

“Is this a good time to tell you that your phone’s not coming back?”

“Well that’s...different.”

“Don’t worry, boomerang always comes back.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Physics.”

Zuko gives him a dirty look.

“Fine, lots of practice. And physics.”

“That’s fair.”

“Move!” He grabs Lee’s waist with his gloved hands and pushes him a few steps back as he jumps in front of him. Following the boomerang with his eyes, he runs sideways along the edge of the lake until he’s aligned with it. The sound of it spinning catches up to his ears as he jumps backwards towards the woods to grab it. 

“Ha! See! Told ya. Easy.” Sokka places both hands on his hips Wonder Woman style, the boomerang sticking out of his left hand. 

“Your turn.” He states simply while walking back towards Zuko.

“What?! No! I can’t.”

“Au contraire, mon  chéri, I’ve seen you in action and you have quite the arm.”

“I can’t! I’ve never thrown one before and,” he sputters, “well, what if it falls into the water?!”

“You sound pretty worried for a guy who just threw his phone into the deepest part of a nearly frozen lake.”

“I’m not going to.”

“Come on, just once! Humor me! If it falls in then you get proven right and I’m down $50, what’s the big deal? Plus, I trust you.”

“Why?”

He shrugs.

“You’re insane.”

_ Ha, and he isn’t? _

He leaves his arm outstretched, waiting for Zuko to take the boomerang.

_ Zuko _

“Fine,” he grabs it angrily, “how do I throw this thing anyway?”

Sokka comes up behind him, bringing his arms around Zuko’s chest so his hands almost touch. His cheeks flush again, this time not from anger, and he begins to open his mouth to ask what the hell Sokka thinks he’s doing when Sokka starts to take off his gloves.

“Here, put your hand like this. See mine? Make sure your thumb goes here. Yes, like that. Perfect! See, you’re a natural.”

“I haven’t thrown it yet.” Maybe if he throws enough sass at Sokka he’ll forget about Sokka’s hot breath on his nape and his strong hands around his. Maybe not.

“To throw, it’s pretty simple, just bring it across like this and then quickly release around this point.”

Sokka takes Zuko’s hand, still standing behind him, and moves it back and forth across his chest, showing him over and over the best angle to throw the boomerang.

“Am I interrupting something?” a voice Zuko doesn’t recognize echoes loudly behind them.

Sokka jumps back, releasing his arms from around Zuko and stumbles to find his footing in the rocks along the shore. 

Zuko’s hand flinches, trying to get Sokka’s off of his, dropping the boomerang on the ground in the process. He backs up, holding his right hand in his left as if Sokka’s touch had burned. 

They both look at each other, now five feet apart, in surprise before turning to the man standing on the trail where they had come from in embarrassment.

_ So much for Lake Seclusion... _

The man is tall and wearing a horrifically orange puffy winter coat that Zuko could tell is hiding an exceptionally skinny figure. His eyes are bright and he’s smiling at them happily. 

_ Sokka _

“Aang, what the hell, man? You scared the shit out of me!”

A loud, gleeful laugh escapes the man’s mouth as his eyes scrunch up.

“Hey, you don’t have anyone but yourself to blame! Katara sent me to come check on you this morning. She would have come too but…you know her schedule.”

_ Right. Her schedule. _

“Yeah, yeah, don’t worry about it.”

The two men meet in the middle for a hug before Aang turns to the stranger.

“I’m Aang, nice to meet you…” Aang drags the sentence out, looking back embarrassed at Sokka.

“Lee.” Sokka whispers.

“Lee! Nice to meet you, Lee.”

The man looks uncomfortable.

“Hi.” He raises his hand in a half-assed wave before leaning down to pick up the boomerang.

“It’s not everyday I get to meet a fellow man of good taste.” 

Aang pulls down his fur-lined hood to reveal his bald, tattooed head and points with a grin.

Sokka elbows him in the side but the effect is dampened by the sheer amount of cushion in Aang’s coat. His hand goes up to pinch the bridge of his nose.

_ God, why must Aang be blessed with the capability to say the worst thing possible in every situation. It was a gift, really.  _

“Oh, right.” Lee looks hurt but the corner of his lip perk up in a half-smile. “Maybe I should get tattoos too.”

“Yeah! See, Sokka, I told you I’d start a fashion trend.” Aang closes his eyes and gives a toothy grin out of pride. 

How he can consistently stay so enthusiastically content all the time, Sokka will never know.

Sokka smiles but it doesn’t reach his eyes. He was glad Lee was feeling better about the situation than he was last night, enough to make lame jokes about it to a stranger at least, but Sokka could tell he was just trying to hide the pain. He wonders how long Lee’s had to do that for. 

_ It’s none of your business, Sokka. _

The three start walking back to the cabin, Aang and Sokka with an arm around each other’s necks side by side while Lee lags behind them on his own. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! I update every Friday. It's looking to be at around 13 chapters or so when I'm done...


	6. Chapter 6: Excuse me, sir, that's my emotional support Aang

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lunch with Aang is...enlightening~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for being 8 hours late! I forgot yesterday was Friday... Close enough~

_ Zuko _

Suki greeted Aang into the cabin enthusiastically before following Sokka into the kitchen.

“Staying for lunch?” Aang noded.

Zuko watched by the door as the two friends talked amicably around the space, walking around each other in perfect synchronization, pulling ingredients from Sokka’s cabinets and catching up. Like they had done this a thousand times. 

It felt domestic and intimate. 

It felt like a home. 

The voice inside Zuko’s head told him he’s intruding. 

Feeling uncomfortably warm all of a sudden, he walked past them silently before giving Suki a pat on the head and exiting the cabin’s side door to the wrap-around porch. 

The porch on the side sits on sturdy wooden stilts, at least five feet off the ground. Zuko thought about heading to the back where there was a better view, but he was too tired. This will do. All he needed was fresh air.

He was alone with his thoughts, which aren’t his favorite sort of company considering their turbulent past, but he’s used to them. 

He wondered if they were talking about him now that he’s out of earshot. In a way, Zuko hoped they were.

Would Sokka tell Aang all about the poor idiot out in the middle of the woods wearing nothing but a thin cotton shirt and jeans? Would he tell Aang about his monstrous burn and how badly it would probably scar? Would he tell Aang about what an awkward and detached guest he was? About how entitled he must be to throw away such an expensive possession like it was nothing? 

What  _ does  _ Sokka think of him? And why does Zuko  _ care _ ?

_ Sokka _

“So, wanna tell me about the elephant in the room?” 

Loud thumps fill the kitchen as Aang chops up the vegetables Sokka hands him.

“He’s more of a kicked puppy than an elephant. And technically he’s out of the room. Which is why you’ve brought it up, I see.”

Sokka’s lip is bitten between his teeth as he struggles to find the thyme in the spice drawer.

“Well I can’t exactly talk about him when he’s  _ in _ the room.”

“Doesn’t talking behind someone's back go against your belief system?”

“Not if it’s  _ good _ things.” Aang looks at Sokka with something mischievously hopeful in his eyes.

Sokka ignored him.

“I read the text and it doesn’t quite do him justice, I must say.” 

“It’s a long story, I was tired.”

“Oh, I didn’t mean the story. I meant  _ him _ .”

“There’s not much to say about him other than the story. He’s not much of a talker.”

“Mhm, sure.”

They prepare lunch in silence for a few more minutes before Sokka speaks up, “I know he looks kinda scary right now, given the bandages and lack of sleep.”

Aang stops chopping and looks at Sokka expectantly.

“But he’s really quite sweet. And he’s got the worst sense of humor I’ve ever heard in my life.”

Sokka smiled at that, looking down at the stew he’s stirring in order to ignore Aang’s gaze.

“And Suki likes him a lot.”

“She _ is  _ a great judge of character.” 

“I caught them playing tug of war this morning. I’m surprised he had that much energy after everything he’s been through. He did lose pretty badly though.” 

_ It was cute. _

Sokka let out a small chuckle.

Aang put the knife down onto the cutting board to face him.

“Do you feel responsible for him?” Aang looked more concerned than inquisitive.

“No. Not really. I mean he got to me so late I couldn’t really help that much anyways.”

“Sokka, I think you helped  _ a lot _ .”

Sokka looked up at Aang finally, closing the lid of the pot and turning the burner down.

“I just want to give him a chance. Besides, I kinda like having someone around. He called me a hermit this morning, the bastard.”

“Aaahhhh, I see.” Aang turns away with a knowing look on his face. He reached for the kettle and filled it with water to boil.

“You see? What do you see? Don’t do this to me, you know I hate when you get all vague. It usually means you’re about to give me spiritual advice which I  _ don’t need _ , thanks.”

“I won’t,” Aang gave Sokka a pat on the back and smiled, heading out of the kitchen, “I actually think he might be good for you, you know, to have around. Katara’s been worried about you. So have I. Ever since your mom got sick you’ve been-”

“Don’t. Please. I don’t want to hear what Katara has to say about how  _ I’ve  _ been coping.”

“I’m sorry.”

After a long, awkward pause Aang starts back up, “One cannot live in isolation.”

_ Aaaaaand there’s the spiritual advice. _

After catching his eye roll, Aang gets more animated.

“I think it’s a great idea! Katara is a little concerned about your methods but, I think it’s very generous of you to let him stay.” Aang gave him a small smile.

“I told him he could stay until he’s healed. I’m not delusional about anything. He’s harmless and I’m a doctor. Well... you know.” 

_ Okay, maybe I’m a little delusional. _

The kettle whistles loudly, breaking the conversation.

“I’m gonna bring him tea. It’s cold out there and I have a sneaking suspicion he’s staying out to give us alone time.”

“You think you know everything, don’t you?”

Aang shrugged, the grin on his face not denying anything.

_ Zuko _

The sound of the screen door hit the frame behind Zuko.

“Sorry, I’ll be inside shortly. I just wanted fresh air.”

“Right, I guess I cut your fresh air short this morning, I apologize.”

Zuko whips around, startled, not expecting Aang to be the one to come get him.

“Oh, um, yeah. I must be getting used to the cold. Never really thought that would ever happen.”

Aang came up beside him and placed a cup of tea in front of him on the top of the wooden railing, holding onto his own.

“Be where you are.” Aang said softly, smiling down at his tea.

“Pardon?”

“Sorry, old habit. It’s just something my mentor always used to tell me. Be where you are.”

“What does it...mean?”

“Depends on the person, I guess. I always interpreted it as a ‘Live in the moment and be one with your surroundings or else you will be lost and alone’ type of phrase. But that seems overly harsh. I’m sure Monk Gyatsu didn’t mean it like that. And neither did I! I was just thinking that you’re adapting to your surroundings, I guess. That’s good!”

_ Monk? Who were these people…  _

His hermit theory is getting stronger by the second.

“Sokka says he hates when I get all spiritual.”

_ He can see why. _

“But he always listens so I’ve stopped believing him. Anyway, I just came out to tell you lunch will be ready soon. Sokka’s just putting the finishing touches on the stew.”

Zuko tries not to make a face but fails.

“No, don’t worry! It’s not sea prune stew, I swear. Those things are disgusting; I could never understand how Katara and Sokka can eat a whole bowl of them and keep their will to live. It’s vegetable. Although I’m sure that Sokka is in there right now separating it into two pots so that he can put an entire deer in one or something.”

Zuko doesn’t respond but does pick up the mug from the railing and keeps it in his hands for warmth.

He would have taken a sip already if he wasn’t extraordinarily cautious around hot water now. A few more minutes out in the cold wouldn’t hurt.

“So, what do you do?” Aang asks cheerily.

_ Pay the university tens of thousands of dollars every semester just to end up a starving artist. _

“Nothing, really.” 

“What a coincidence, neither do I.” 

“I doubt that.” 

“Me too.” For being sassy, Aang really doesn’t sound all that sassy.

_ What is this guy’s deal? _

“Listen, I don’t need-” 

“I know, I’m sorry. I’m just trying to get to know you better!” 

“Why?” 

“Because you have intrinsic worth as a person~” Aang closed his eyes and took a sip of his tea.

Zuko couldn’t believe he was having this conversation right now and it showed on his face.

“Sorry, it’s the monk in me. Maybe it’s also because Sokka really cares about you. And I care about him.” 

_ Sokka...cares about him? _

_ That’s not true, he doesn’t even know him.  _

After a prolonged bout of silence, Aang gave up on Zuko continuing the conversation and looked out at the arctic mountain landscape in front of them.

“Wouldn’t it be nice to live here? Fresh air, views like this. If it weren’t for Katara’s job in the city, I’d probably move out here too.” 

“Um, yeah. I suppose it would be.” Zuko’s not sure if he’s just making pleasant conversation or if he really means it. Then again, when was he ever the type to make pleasant conversation unless he means it?

Aang gives him a pat on the back before heading back inside.

~~~~~~~~

_ Sokka _

He’s nearly done setting the table when Lee and Aang enter the cabin from the porch. Suki perks up from her spot on the couch but settles her head back between her paws once she realizes there were no new, exciting people with them. 

Seeing Lee with Aang strook Sokka as odd. Lee was  _ his  _ person. His  _ friend _ ? He never really had friends outside of the friend group that he always had growing up. It felt refreshing, introducing people he knows to other people he knows without them already knowing each other. He’s not sure why that meant so much to him, but it did. 

Zuko carries his full cup of tea to the table and sets it at his spot, his back to the fireplace. 

_ His spot. _

“I promise there’s no devil’s club in it this time. You’re safe to drink it.”

Zuko, confused, looks down at his full cup.

“Oh! Right. Yeah, I know. I was...saving it. For lunch.” He looks anxious.

_ Maybe one day he won’t be so skittish. _

~~~~~~~~~~~

_ Zuko _

With Aang gone, the house feels a little colder. Zuko notices a piece of Sokka’s brightness leaves with him.

“He’s a good friend isn’t he?” Sokka perked up.

“Yeah. Ever since we were kids. You can’t help but love him.” 

“And him and your sister are…” Zuko never intended to finish the sentence.

“Married, yeah.” 

Something is off with Sokka. He’s usually an eye contact person, which Zuko  _ hated _ , but now that Sokka was avoiding him, Zuko wished his bright eyes would meet his again.

“Do you...wanna talk about it?” 

_ God, why did he say that?  _

“Ha! No, thanks. I’m fine. I’m just thinking. You’re not the only one who gets to keep secrets, you know?” The light reached his eyes again and that’s all Zuko needed in order to move on.

“Don’t,” Zuko’s hand stopped on top of Sokka’s as he reached for his empty bowl, “I’ll get it. It’s the least I could do. All things considered.”

It was cold. Zuko’s hand twitches, wanting to hold it, warm it. But he stopped himself.

“Huh,” Sokka looked pleasantly surprised, “ I accept! Thanks. I’ll be in the back if you need anything.”

The empty space where Sokka’s hand used to be was even colder.

“But only if the house is burning down?”

“Nah, that’s just if you’re gonna wake me up.”

Sokka gave a small wave above his head as he left towards the back hallway.

~~~~~~~~~

Zuko wonders what Sokka meant earlier.

_ Secrets _ .

It seemed so silly. Two grown men dancing around each other, only letting out little clues as to what they’re thinking and feeling. He wondered how he got that way. How Sokka got that way. 

Maybe there was a reason he ended up on the trail that led to this place. To him. 

Maybe he’s just hopeful that something good could have come out of his situation.

Zuko appreciated the rough sponge in his hand as he scrubs dishes. It gave his hands something cathartic to do when all they wanted was to rip through the left side of his face. It itched and throbbed and Zuko couldn’t wait until Sokka’s gentle, clunky hands treated it again tonight. 

_ Soon. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Lots of dialogue in this one, Aang's a talker ;)
> 
> Wearing Sokka's oversized clothes is next chapter, look forward to it~


	7. Chapter 7: When did this house become a makeshift hospital

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko spends his afternoon lounging around with Suki in Sokka's old clothes and Sokka has a small meltdown because of it. Sokka starts to open up~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who's left comments so far. They really keep me going <3
> 
> Sorry this chapter is a bit of a filler, I needed to set up more Sokka background before things get juicy.

Sokka left for most of the afternoon in order to stock up on supplies, leaving Zuko alone in the cabin.

He found himself missing Sokka’s presence, but that’s to be expected, right? There’s only so many tug of war games you can play with a husky before your hands get sore and they get bored of you. 

He paced while he thought, not really sure what to do with himself.

Frustrated, he stands up, catching Suki’s attention.

“It’s okay, Suki, go back to sleep. At least one of us should get to.”

Suki rested her head back on her paws and let her eyes close again, ears perking up every time Zuko took a step.

He wandered over to the back hallway and before he knew it he was standing in front of a table in the hallway full of family photos. He knew he shouldn’t snoop, but these are out in the open! Fair game. 

Curious, he picked up the closest to him.

In it, two kids in puffy blue, fur-lined winter coats were having a snowball fight. It was an old photo, the poor quality accentuated by the blurred action of their arm motions. Wiping away a small layer of dust with his thumb, Zuko took a closer look. A girl’s face was scrunched up in laughter as a cloud of snow made its way to a taller boy with his hands out in front of him. 

_ Sokka and Katara. _

And from the look of it, Sokka was losing. 

Zuko couldn’t help but smile down at them. Sokka looked so different now. His small ponytail in the photo has since grown into a long mane of pulled back and braided hair that reaches past his shoulders. His jaw squared off, nose covered in dark freckles. The smile was still the same, and his eyes piercing blue. Now that he looks closer, Katara has them too. He wondered how she had changed. Not that he cared or anything! Just curious. 

Setting the frame down, he chose another.

This one was a classic family portrait. A husband and wife stood behind their two kids sitting in separate chairs in front of them. The mother was smirking with one hand on her hip and the other holding onto her husband’s.  _ Ah, so this is who they get their eyes from.  _

The father looked serious but something in his eyes tells Zuko that he wasn’t. Sokka looked a lot like him. He wondered how often Sokka heard that growing up. If it made Sokka happy or bitter. Whether he felt honored or if he tried extra hard to make himself look different. If he ever stepped outside onto the porch, overlooking the landscape, and screamed at the top of his lungs that he wasn’t like his father. 

Probably not.

A photo towards the back caught Zuko’s attention. He reached for it to bring it closer. 

Sokka’s face filled most of the photo in a giant, open-mouthed smile.

_ Dork. _

Behind him, an older version of the mother from the previous photo smiled softly. She was lying down on the same couch that Zuko slept on the night before, a knit blanket coming up to her waist. Didn’t Sokka say something about her being sick?

He set it down, scanning the table over. To the left, a prom photo of what looked like a younger, more awkward version of Aang holding onto Katara’s waist as she gave him bunny ears from behind. The fireplace backdrop was all too familiar to him now. 

Next to it, a small white dog looked up at Zuko from a silver frame, the name “Momo” engraved at the bottom. 

A double, black and white portrait frame stuck out from the rest. Zuko got closer. Candles and dried flowers surrounded the area. The wicks were well used. Zuko wondered when the last time they were lit, it had to be recent. It contained two side-by-side portraits of Sokka’s parents, Zuko was sure. She had Sokka’s eyes and smile and he had Sokka’s demeanor and bone structure. It looked like a memorial.

_ Oh. _

Zuko feels as if he’s intruding. He backs away from the table, heading back towards the living room. 

_ Did she die while Sokka was taking care of her? Is that why Sokka’s taking care of him? To make up for it? _

Zuko sat down next to Suki and pet her nape as he thinks, wanting some support.

_ How did their father die? Why didn’t Katara come over when Aang did? They seemed like such a close family... _

Thinking about it was a bad idea. What did he know, anyways? This wasn’t a mystery novel. He  _ could  _ just  _ ask. _

Suki released a sigh next to him.

“I know, me too.”

She pulled herself up and trotted over to the front door, his hand fell to the floor in her absence. She spun around before lying down on the welcome mat across the room.

_ Rude. _

Taking that as a sign that he should probably get off the floor, he stood and dusted himself off. Looking down at his hands, he realized he probably needed a shower and a change of clothes. 

Thankful that Sokka is a planner, he grabbed at the pile of clothes that Sokka left for him that afternoon.

_ “Sorry, these are kinda old. My newer stuff probably wouldn’t fit you or I would have given you those.” _

He picked up the shirt on the top of the pile, gravity unfolding it as he held it out in front of himself.

“Longshot Archery. Huh.” 

The shirt was slightly faded, but not badly worn. The reds and blues of the logo were speckled, adding to the charm. Curious, Zuko brought the shirt up to his nose. It smelled like generic detergent mixed with a smoky cinnamon scent that he could only better describe as what Sokka smelled like close up while applying antibiotics. Hours of sitting in front of Sokka as he shaved and bandaged one’s head will do that to a nose. 

Zuko chose a pair of pants with a drawstring, hoping that would cover any size issues between them. 

With a new change of clothes in hand, Zuko headed to the bathroom for a shower.

~~~~~~~

_ Sokka _

_ This is bad. This is very bad. This is the opposite of good. AKA bad.  _

Sokka was home, bags of supplies in tow, and found his guest sitting in front of the fire wrapped in his wolf pelt and petting his dog whose head was curled up in his lap.

But that wasn’t the issue, no. The issue was that said guest was wearing his oversized t-shirt and sweatpants under the wolf pelt. 

He supposed it’s better than coming home to find said guest naked in front of the fireplace. But this was still bad.

Zuko turned his head to the door and gave a small smile, the tape around his bandage coming up around the edges.

Suki, being woken up, sprinted towards the door to greet him. Her enthusiasm mixed with Sokka’s surprise caused him to fumble backwards and a brown bag fell to the floor, its contents spilling out around him.

_ Smooth. _

Zuko stood up and shuffled over to the front door. The bottom of the sweatpants caught under his feet and dragged slightly on the ground, obviously belonging to a taller man. Sokka tried very hard not to find it adorable. 

Sokka could see the shirt more clearly as well. How it’s just slightly too big at the shoulders and the bottom ends just above the thigh, elongating his torso. 

He knew this was a bad idea. Cursing himself for not telling the man that he’d just buy him some new clothes at the store, he finally tore his eyes off Lee as he helped him pick up the cans and packages from the floor.

“Sorry, it must be the clunky hands.” Sokka didn’t make eye contact.

Lee just smiled as he finished placing the fallen items onto the table, “You’re taking my words out of context.”

“Right, your exact words were ~ _surprisingly_ _gentle_ ~.”

“And now you’re just flattering yourself.”

“Your words, not mine!”

Sokka started unpacking the rest of the bags in the kitchen, Lee followed.

_ Zuko _

“So, uh. Sorry about the shirt,” Sokka gestured at Zuko’s chest, “I just realized it was a bit distasteful of me.”

Zuko looked down at the shirt, puzzled.

_ What does that mean? Does he look bad in it? _

“You know...with me almost shooting you and everything.”

Relief spread over Zuko as he let out the breath he didn't know he was holding.

“Oh, right! I...forgot about that. You know, surprisingly, that wasn’t a top priority of mine at the time.” 

Zuko scratched his head, looking embarrassed.

Sokka just nodded, not knowing what to say.

“Speaking of which, I think it’s time for a new bandage,” Zuko gestured to the loose edges of medical tape, “I’d wait until after dinner to stay consistent, but it itches like a bitch.”

“Ah! I’m glad you told me, it shouldn’t go dry.”

_ Oh thank god. _

“Are the painkillers working?”

“Uhh, well they do until about an hour before I can take another dosage.”

_ Sokka _

“Welcome to painkillers. At least I have a stock of stuff harder than Tylenol.”

“And for that I’m very grateful.”

“And I’d be grateful if you didn’t tell anyone. I don’t exactly like, or endorse, the prescribing of drugs without access to a patient’s full medical history.”

“Right, well, the second I leave here I’m telling everyone about what a horrible doctor you are.”

“Smart ass.”

Sokka’s stomach dropped at those words. Of course Lee would be leaving soon; he had his own life somewhere else. Sokka was just a minor event that he’ll probably forget about in a few years time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lee was lying on the sofa, bandage off and eyes closed as Sokka gently rubbed topical medicines on top of the wound. 

Sokka’s hands were extra gentle, wary of puncturing any of the areas that have bubbled up which would cause more complications than Sokka preferred. 

A small smile showed on Lee’s face.

“This dosage of painkillers finally kicked in, huh?”

“It’s not that, your hands feel nice,” he answered softly.

Sokka was thankful Lee’s eyes are closed and can’t see any signs of blush.

After a few more minutes in silence, Lee spoke up.

“Where did you learn this stuff?”

“Med school. Bit of a residency too.”

“They taught you to rub Devil’s club into burns at medical school?”

“Well... I guess it started with my parents. They were good at that sort of thing. Quick fixes or temporary remedies that could be found locally if we couldn’t get to the angakkuq, store, or hospital because of the weather. My dad would keep a stash in the medicine cabinet from finds during hunting and fishing trips. For big trips, you know you need to go a bit farther north for caribou, he’d come back with rare ones. He’d never let me go on the long ones. I remember once I was so pissed that he left without me, I was probably like 10, I didn’t speak to him for a week when he came back.”

_ Why was he telling him this? _

“My mom was better at the healing though. Something about being taken care of by your mom just feels comforting you know? Hospitals were scary but mom isn’t, and she always made whatever it was feel better.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean.”  _ At least for a while.  _

“You know, my dad would always ask us what was troubling us when we felt sick. He used to say that if we weren’t well spiritually, it would manifest physically. I used to hate it. I hated every time he asked me,” Sokka stopped and looked forward towards the wall as if someone else was standing there listening, “It makes me feel guilty now, but it never seemed to phase him so I guess it didn’t do too much harm. I hope.”

“So, you’re not going to ask me what’s troubling me?” Zuko asked, attempting to lighten the mood.

“Before I start treating you? No. But if you want to share, I won’t stop you.”

Sokka leaned in again, finishing up the application. 

“I think I’ll pass.”

“See, I knew we had something in common.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is long and domestic af. Sokka has a surprise...it's a big one~
> 
> I update every Friday!


	8. Thinking about fish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sokka thinks about how much he hates mornings and Zuko thinks about...fish?
> 
> Sokka has a surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to WhatMoreIsThereToSay for the lovely title and for editing!

_ Zuko _

A week passed quickly in Sokka’s cabin. Zuko walked about it with more freedom, his steps more sure and determined. 

He’s still uncertain about whether or not he’s a guest or a temporary roommate, stuck between feeling too committed to staying if he did too many chores and feeling guilty if he didn’t do enough. Thankfully, Sokka didn’t seem to be keeping track.

The sun’s reflection glowed orange as it rose between the mountains in the distance. 

He’s always loved mornings, his mother used to tell him that if the sun was up, so was he. 

And he kept this tradition, always rising with the sun. 

But mornings in Sokka’s cabin were better than other mornings. The massive glass doors on either side of the fireplace reached all the way to the floor and let Zuko watch as the sun rose, illuminating the forest below. Its orange glow filled the room slowly, hitting Zuko in the feet, chest, and face incrementally. He liked to sit, legs crossed, in front of one, letting the sun’s warmth sink into his body. The amber light kindled inside of his closed eyelids and allowed him to empty his thoughts completely. 

_ Sokka _

Sokka sat up to turn off his blaring alarm as quickly as possible.

_ Mornings are the worst. _

He was not usually the type who wakes up at an hour like this, but it’s a weekend in spring and since the ice was thawing in the nearest rivers and lakes, it was time to fish. 

He got dressed quickly but meticulously, dressing in layers was key and rushing this stage could be dangerous if he’s out for longer than expected. 

He grabbed some supplies from his closet and headed out to the hallway, still rubbing his eyes.

He opened them to find Lee sitting on the floor facing the porch door, basking in the sun.

_ Was he meditating? Did he do this...every morning? _

His hair was growing out slightly, just a mere quarter of an inch of black fuzz that stuck straight up. It made him look older and more serious than his long hair did. It fit his resting scowl nicely.

Sokka wondered if he’ll get to see any other stage of the growth process. There must be an awkward bob phase, right? Now that would be great to see. 

He was wearing one of Sokka’s cream-colored knit sweaters that’s been in the back of one of his drawers for years. He can’t even remember where, or when for that matter, he got it. The only thing he’s sure of was that it’s never looked that good on him. 

_ Damn him. _

Trying not to disturb the man if he was truly meditating, Sokka attempted to sneak to the front door. Unfortunately, he’s never been the lightest on his feet.

Lee turned his torso around to confront Sokka, legs still comfortably crossed in front of him.

“Where are you going?”

_ I’m carrying a fishing pole, a tackle box, a net, and a god damn harpoon. Where the hell does he think I’m going? _

“The library.” He’s always been a little grumpy in the mornings.

“Ah,” Lee looked confused but recovered quickly, “have fun fishing.”

Sokka sighed, “Once I fully wake up it’ll be great. I just...haven’t reached that point yet.” 

He looked hesitant to keep walking towards the door.

Without saying a word, Lee stood up and headed towards him. Gravity pulled the previously scrunched-up sweater downwards, the bottom hem just touching above his knees. Each step was audible; little scuffs of fabric scraped across the floor lightly as he dragged the extra length of his pants under him. His hand came up, just high enough for the sweater to uncover the tips of his slim fingers, and patted Sokka on the shoulder. He shuffled past him, disappearing in the kitchen. 

He came back with a mug of steaming coffee in his sweater-paws and presented it forwards to Sokka in outstretched arms. His right eye blinked up at Sokka, shining through the shadow that his nose and thick bandage created from the sun’s angle over it.

Sokka hesitated to reach towards the mug. It was such a simple gesture. A small kindness of happenstance.

Then why does it feel so precious? Look so fragile? Like he shouldn’t reach down and ruin the image? 

_ He must be more tired than he thought. _

He finally took the mug from Lee’s hands, “You’re a lifesaver.”

Lee tilted his head slightly and quirked an eyebrow. It reminded him of Suki when Sokka sings off pitch while cooking. 

The hint of a smile graced his lips, enough to reach his eye, and Sokka thought that maybe mornings weren’t so bad after all.

_ Zuko _

“It’s just coffee,” he tried to sound nonchalant but it just came out as bashful, “I saw how you made it yesterday. I hope you don’t mind me using the equipment.”

Sokka took a long sip of the coffee and paused before speaking.

“You are officially allowed to make coffee as much as you want to, with whatever equipment you so desire, as long as I get some.”

“Deal.”

Zuko smiled. 

His face started to ache from it and he let it fall, easing the tension. He wondered how much more he’s smiled this week than normal, and how much the burn actually had to do with the ache he felt tugging at the corners of his lips. 

Sokka finished the mug in record time, setting it down on the table resolutely. 

He looked at Zuko with contentment, “Would you like to learn how to fish?”

Zuko smiled again. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fishing went smoother than either of them were expecting. Not that fishing is particularly prone to accidents, but considering how their week has gone, the peaceful excursion was welcome. 

Zuko enjoyed the animated ambiance and quiet company. An activity that gave him focus yet distracted at the same time. For a sport that, in Zuko’s opinion, required very little skill and quite a lot of chance, he got a lot of compliments from Sokka. All of them welcome although undeserved, he’s sure.

When they arrived at the cabin it was after noon and Sokka was much more excitable than he was in the morning. He fixed lunch quickly, humming to himself as he danced around the kitchen.

“This is so much more fish than I’m used to! You must be my good luck charm.”

_ See, it was all about luck… _

“Someone’s in a good mood.”

“Who wouldn’t be!?” tiny bits of flesh flew up and landed on the tile floor as Sokka threw his hands up excitedly while fileting the fish. 

“You weren’t this excited about fish before.”

“That was frozen stuff. Completely different!”

“I see.” He didn’t see.

“And besides, I have a surprise.”

_ A surprise? _

“What’s the surprise?”

“Well, if I told you it wouldn’t be a surprise now would it?” Sokka looked far too pleased with himself.

Zuko didn’t respond, just crossed his arms and leaned his head against the frame of the kitchen door. He’s definitely not pouting.

Sokka glanced up between slices and gauged Zuko’s expression, grinning back down at the fish.

“Fine, I’ll show you after lunch. Happy?”

Zuko hummed in response.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zuko ate tentatively, not sure if he’s ready for whatever Sokka was so excited about. It’s a good thing, right? Sokka was happy about it so it was probably good. What made Sokka happy? 

_ His boomerang? Suki? Fish? No, that’s silly it couldn’t be fish... _

“What are you thinking about?” 

This snapped Zuko out of his thoughts, “Hmm? What? Oh! Uh...fish?”

“Fish?”

“Fish.”

Sokka just nodded, leaving the subject alone. Zuko usually appreciated silence but the suspense of this surprise is killing him slowly. He looked around, trying to catch sight of Suki but the husky was nowhere to be found.

_ Damn it. _

She was a master at quelling his anxiety.

_ Sokka _

Sokka scooted his chair back with a loud rumble as the wooden legs scraped against the cabin floor. 

“Follow me, this way,” the excitement in Sokka’s voice verged on nervousness.

The two men made their way to the back hallway, passing Sokka’s door and turning left. Zuko’s never come this far into the hallway, he’s never needed to. 

“Almost there.” Sokka turned back to give a reassuring smile, unsure as to who exactly he’s reassuring.

Sokka turned the handle and let the door swing open, the crisp light from inside spreading slowly into the dark hallway where they stood. 

Sokka stood aside, letting Lee face the view of the room head on. Sokka watched Lee as he explored the interior of the room with his uncovered eye, feet firmly rooted to the ground. His eye moved from the bookshelves to the newly-made bed. He looked down at the blue rug and followed it with his head upwards to the side window, its light illuminating an old but sturdy rocking chair in the corner. He looked back at Sokka, his eyebrow creased inwards in confusion.

Sokka started tentatively, “I...should have done this sooner but it needed some serious updating. It was my parent’s room. I hadn’t...come in here for a while and it was in pretty bad shape.”

He looked at Lee to gauge his expression but it was the same as when he looked earlier.

“But the dust is gone now! No more dust, look! Well, I guess you didn’t know how it looked before but you’ll just have to trust me.”

He moved inside, taking Lee’s hand and pulling him in as well, “And look! New bed! Isn’t the new comforter soft?” He took Lee’s hand and pressed it against the bed, “Katara recommended it.”

Lee didn’t say a word and Sokka got more jittery.

“I’m...really sorry it took this long. It was harder than I thought it’d be to go through all their stuff. I guess I should’ve known, I’ve been avoiding it for a year…”

“I’m sorry, what?” Lee still looked confused. Sokka guessed that’s better than being angry.

“I’m trying to apologize for making my injured guest sleep on the couch for a week because I was too stuck on keeping my parent’s room like it always was to get my shit together. It was silly of me to hang onto it for so long, but I guess everyone grieves differently. I’ve actually been in a much better mood recently, after finally finishing it as a guest room. It’s helped me move on. So, thank you I guess, for snapping me out of it.”

“This is...my room?” Lee’s expression was still blank.

“Man, you’re slow. You sure you didn’t hit your head too?”

Lee gave him a glare and Sokka put his hands up.

“Of course it’s your room! It’s the guest bedroom and you are the guest. Therefore, it is now your room.” Sokka looked proud of himself.

“I-I can’t. The living room is fine! I mean, I like the living room. It’s,” Lee flounders while looking around, searching for the rest of his sentence, “you really didn’t have to do this.”

“I disagree. Plus, it’s also for selfish reasons if that makes you feel better. I miss my couch.”

_ Zuko _

Zuko couldn't help the smile spreading across his face.

“I don’t know what to say.”

A million thoughts raced through Zuko’s head, he could only keep track of a few.

_ What does this mean? How much longer is he staying? Did he have any other option? Did he...want another option?  _

He didn’t think so.

“Thank you is fine.” Sokka reached down to pet an excited Suki who must have just found them from coming inside.

“Thank you.”

Sokka nods, “I’ll let you settle in. Finally,” he headed towards the door, “Come on, Suki! Let’s go to the  _ couch _ !”

He watched them leave, pushing away all of the uncertainties and worries that are bombarding his head. He went to the window, looking out over the familiar landscape.

_ It faces the same direction as the living room windows. _

Gratitude grew from the pit of his stomach into his throat and overwhelmed him, brimming at his eyes and causing them to burn from trying to hold his emotions back. 

_ Thank you. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why doesn't love a man in sweaterpaws bringing them coffee in the morning, amirite?
> 
> Zuko is officially a roommate! 
> 
> "And they were roommates!" "Oh my god, they were roommates..."


	9. Anything's a Toy if I'm not Supposed to Have It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Domestic drabbles~
> 
> They're getting comfortable together. Maybe a little too comfortable...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to WhatMoreIsThereToSay for the chapter title that makes me laugh!

_ Sokka _

“Hey, can you pass me the knife?”

Lee looked up from his cucumber, paused briefly while inspecting his own knife, then took a step sideways and opened the small drawer to his left, producing a second knife and handing it handle-side out to Sokka. 

“But...the one you’re using is my favorite.”

Lee let out a small sigh as his knife-wielding hands fell to the cutting board out of exasperation.

With one swift motion he switched the knives and handed Sokka the larger, desired one. 

Sokka smiled and started chopping his carrots happily next to him.

Lee switched to the onions, “You know, you could buy a whole drawer of your favorite knives and this problem would be avoided.”

“But then the concept of a favorite knife is meaningless!”

“You’re absolutely ridiculous.”

_ Oh please, you love it. _

Sokka’s eye lingered on Lee’s face. It’s been a month since Lee’s injury and it was nearly completely healed. The scar was deep crimson now and dissipated into a soft maroon as it got farther from the eye, eventually blending in with Lee’s tan skin at the edges. He stopped needing bandages a few days prior and Sokka can’t help but stare. His hair has reached a solid length of 2 cm, still sticking straight up adorably. Sokka had a feeling it’ll only be a few more weeks until it’s long enough to soften up and fall, not that he’s been thinking about running his fingers through it or anything.

_ Zuko _

Lee moved through the kitchen with ease and familiarity. He used to fear cooking with Sokka, afraid that his lack of culinary knowledge would ruin dinner and all the work Sokka put into hunting and fishing would be squandered. As the weeks passed and Sokka took him on more and more trips, he felt more comfortable with the possibility of ruining a meal since he contributed to the ingredients. He still felt guilty every time he burned the vegetables though, those are expensive here.

He enjoyed these parts of their day. Cooking side by side with nothing but the soothing sounds of pans sizzling and Sokka rambling about why certain utensils are better than others.

“Ah shit, the meat is almost done, I think we timed this incorrectly.”

“Hmm...that’s weird. We’re usually so good at timing.” Zuko gave him an incredulous side eye to go with his sly grin, remembering all the times their meals were out of sync. Like the time their rice was ready 15 minutes after the rest of the meal, or when Zuko put in the beef too early and all the potatoes were hard, or the time Sokka forgot to put the noodles in the boiling water until the rest of the meal was placed on the table...

“Haha, I’m so amused,” Sokka’s hands reached his hips before taking the towel that was hanging over his shoulder and swinging it downwards. “But seriously, I’m gonna turn this down.”

The whip of the towel caught Suki’s attention just across the kitchen threshold and she leapt up, lunging towards it. Before Sokka could react, Suki’s strong jaws clamped down on the towel and tugged, successfully stealing it out of his hand and running around the small breakfast table wagging her tail with it happily in her mouth.

“Suki, no!” Suki’s jaws pulled back in a smile and she sprinted past them into the living room.

“Suki, drop it! Give it back! Suki!”

Suki, having put a considerable distance between Sokka and herself, pranced happily across from the coffee table, tail wagging furiously.

“Suki, that is not a toy!” Sokka’s voice quieted momentarily as his shoulders sagged and he placed a hand on his forehead, “For fucks sake.”

Zuko couldn't help how loudly he was laughing from the kitchen.

Sokka turned back sharply, “You’re not helping! Don’t encourage this!”

“Oh, let her have it! She’ll drop it the second you stop paying attention to her, you know this.”

Zuko didn’t catch whatever it was that Sokka grumbled before turning around and heading back to the kitchen.

Dinner continued without any further setbacks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_ Zuko _

They ate dinner in a comfortable silence. Living together for so long made it harder to start conversations about their days since they experienced most things together, and god knows neither of them wanted to bring up their past. Occasionally they would be overcome with bravery and ask about the other person’s life, likes, dislikes, opinions, and such. To their surprise, their questions were often met with honest answers and acceptance. As the weeks passed, their trust grew. And little by little they were telling each other things they usually kept hidden from the world. Growing trust led to growing curiosity, but both of them knew that some things were better left alone.

Sokka’s cell phone rang and Zuko noted the caller ID before Sokka could excuse himself to his bedroom to answer it. Katara hardly ever called and Zuko found himself relieved whenever she did. Sokka seemed more relaxed afterwards, at peace. He hadn’t quite yet figured out what kind of sibling relationship Sokka and Katara had. When they talked on the phone it was like they were inseparable. There was never a pause in their conversation and things carried on, sometimes for hours, amicably. But she had never visited the cabin the month that Zuko had lived with Sokka. Aang visited frequently, showing up seemingly at random whenever he “felt like it”. He often wondered if it was his fault. If his presence, for whatever reason, had caused Katara not to visit. 

He debated putting Sokka’s dinner up for later but to his surprise Sokka was already off the phone and heading back towards the table.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, she just wanted to check in before her night shift. Aang is coming to visit this week.”

Zuko just hummed in response, taking his empty bowl and heading towards the kitchen.

“What was that for?”

“What?”

“The hmm.” Zuko stopped and looked back at Sokka.

“Nothing.”

“Spill.”

“It’s nothing! I don’t want to say the wrong thing. It’s fine.”

“Well now you have to tell me!” 

Zuko sighed, putting his dishes in the sink and turning back to Sokka, hands holding onto the sink behind him as he leaned back against it.

“Am I the reason why your sister never visits?”

Sokka’s brows furrowed as he stared at Zuko, speechless for a few seconds.

“I-She- No! That’s not- why would that be the reason?!” 

Zuko looked down and shrugged.

“She’s never come but Aang does. And you guys get along over the phone. I just figured it’s not because of you. So, is it me?”

“Listen,” Sokka’s voice was rough but his eyes were soft, “Katara and I- Katara’s issues have nothing to do with you. Okay?”

Zuko’s voice was quiet, “Okay. I’m sorry I didn’t mean to make it about me. I just thought-”

“It’s fine,” Sokka interrupted, “It’s just...well, she hasn’t visited since mom died actually. I’ve gone over there and Aang comes over here but she shut this place out entirely.”

“But that’s been-”

“Over a year, yeah.”

“Why?”

“I’m not sure, we don’t talk about it. I guess I can’t judge. I kinda...did the opposite. Holed myself up here away from where I used to live. Now that I think about it, I haven’t visited her in awhile.”

“You should go. And you should talk to her about it.”

“Yeah, you giving life advice now?”

“Aang is a good influence.”

Sokka smiled at that and Zuko released a sigh of relief.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_ Sokka _

“Hurry up, it’s starting!” The opening credits blared through the speakers as Suki curled up against Sokka’s side on the couch.

“You know there’s a pause button right?!” Lee’s voice echoed from the kitchen.

“Sorry, I can’t hear you, the sound of the movie that you’re missing is too loud!” Sokka grinned, imagining how Lee’s face looked after that comment. The curiosity got to him and he turned around, staring at the opening to his kitchen for any sign of an unamused roommate.

“And to think I’m making  _ you _ popcorn…” Lee grumbled out loud.

Sokka turned back towards the tv with a smile, glancing up at Lee’s face to make sure he wasn’t actually annoyed as he entered the room with a bowl of popcorn.

“Scoot over.” Sokka’s face turned into a frown as Lee stood above him, gesturing with his finger towards the side of the couch.

“But it’s a scary movie! You know I need the close presence of my fearless roommate.” He stayed squarely in the middle of the couch.

“Well you should have thought of that before angering the popcorn maker.”

Sokka pouted and slid mere inches to his right. He expected more of a fight, but to his surprise Lee turned and sat down next to him, close enough for their thighs to be touching. Sokka smiled and reached for the bowl of popcorn but Lee pulled it away.

“It’s my turn to hold it.”

“It is not!”

“Yes it is, I missed 30 seconds of precious opening credits because of you.”

They settled in to each other quickly, eyes glued to the screen as the protagonist ran through the hallway looking for an open door to escape to. Between the two of them the popcorn did not last long.

_ Zuko _

Sokka’s thigh got impossibly closer as the movie progressed, his shifting weight causing Zuko to sink towards him. Despite there being no popcorn left, Zuko clutched the bowl tightly. Not having a bowl to hide his fear with, Sokka held onto Zuko’s right arm. 

A door burst open with a loud bang as the protagonist screamed, causing Sokka to follow suit. His hands dug into Zuko’s bicep harder and Zuko brought his left hand up to hold onto Sokka’s on his arm. He looked over at Sokka and let out a giggle.

“Shut up, you’re scared too! Even Suki had the right mind to leave! Why’d you have to insist on all the lights being off?!” Sokka’s head leaned down onto Zuko’s shoulder.

Zuko let him, hand still on top of Sokka’s resting on his own arm. 

_ This guy lived alone in a cabin in the woods for a year, is completely self sufficient, a 6 ft tall mountain of a man, and yet he’s afraid of movies like this? _

Zuko pulled one of Sokka’s hands off his arm and clasped their fingers together.

Sokka looked up at him but Zuko’s face was stoic, hoping Sokka wouldn’t say anything. He kept his eyes facing the screen as if nothing happened and after a few seconds, Sokka’s head settled back down on his shoulder, thumb rubbing slightly over Zuko’s fingers before going still.

Sokka didn’t jump nearly as bad for the rest of the movie.

The credits started to roll but neither of them moved to get up.

“We should go to bed. You were gonna take me to practice archery tomorrow morning.”

“Mmmm. Too lazy to move.” Sokka snuggled into Zuko’s neck a little harder.

Zuko let out a small sigh, “Me too.”

They sat there for a while longer, hands still intertwined despite the movie having ended. Zuko listened to the sound of Sokka’s slow breathing, wondering if he had fallen asleep on his shoulder.

“Sokka?” he asked quietly. There was no reply.

_ Oh. _

There was no way that Zuko would be able to carry the man into his room, so he settled on repositioning himself on the couch sideways and letting Sokka’s body lie beside him, head still buried in his neck and arm splayed out across Zuko’s chest. 

Zuko debated sneaking away to go sleep in his own room but that seemed like a cruel change of fate, he couldn’t leave Sokka out here on the couch. They can both suffer stiff necks the next morning, that would be fine. He let himself relax, back sinking into the couch. Out of room, he debated where he should place his right hand but in the end he decided it wouldn’t hurt if it rested on top of Sokka’s back, holding him closer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The drama officially starts next chapter. I know what you're thinking, "hasn't this whole thing been dramatic?" Ohoho, I can do better~
> 
> Thanks for reading and for everyone's comments! They mean a lot to me and keep me going!


	10. Cuddles, kisses, and angst oh my!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko gains the courage to make his move. Sokka isn't so sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to WhatMoreIsThereToSay and to all of the regular commenters for their constant support! I haven't been able to respond to all of you but know that I appreciate you all sooooo much and you guys keep me going!

_ Zuko _

As the sun broke over the horizon, Zuko’s head turned towards the windows. Sokka’s cheek was still pressed up against Zuko’s chest, long hair running down Zuko’s neck causing tingles to run down his side every time Sokka exhaled on top of him. He didn’t mind. He found the steady rhythm of Sokka’s breathing relaxing, almost like meditation. Which, he definitely would be missing this morning all things considered. 

_ This was better anyways. _

He thought for a second about moving his arm from around the small of Sokka’s back and pushing him off so that he could make coffee but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Coffee would make Sokka happy but being woken up would definitely not, it was too much of a risk. Sokka looked too peaceful anyways. Who was he to ruin that? It was for purely selfless reasons, obviously. 

So he rested there on his back, letting his right hand rub small circles across Sokka’s back. He smiled to himself when Sokka let out a small, unconscious hum.

Zuko closed his eyes and slowed his hand to a halt, stilling in order to hold Sokka tighter. He let himself fall back asleep. What’s one lazy morning?

_ Sokka _

The sound of a steady heartbeat pumped loud in Sokka’s left ear as he woke up. He could feel damp sweat between him and his t-shirt fabric, pressed up against something warm and vital. 

_ Wait...was his bed breathing?! _

Sokka’s eyes shot open as his arms lifted his upper body off of where it was resting, looking down at a sleeping Lee. 

_ Oh. Had he slept on him all night? _

His stomach churned with anxiety, eyes still fixed just above Lee’s closed ones. His head was slightly turned to the side, showing proudly the light pink “pillow mark” impressions from Sokka’s weight on his upper chest and neck. His lips stuck out to the side and his black hair was sticking up in every direction. Strands from his left side stuck to his face from the pillow, framing his scar. Sokka resisted the urge to wipe them away from it, not wanting to wake him up.

_ Fuck, what does this mean? Did Lee know they fell asleep on accident? Oh shit, what if he finds out and freaks?! Fuck fuck fuck shit fuck… _

Sokka quietly lifted his body up all the way, careful to not hit Lee as he left the couch. Looking back to check and make sure he didn’t wake up, Sokka took a throw blanket nearby and carefully pulled it up to Lee’s chin before escaping to the bathroom for a shower. 

Sokka turned on the hot water and breathed a sigh of relief.

_ Disaster averted, this never happened. _

_ Zuko _

Zuko woke up cold, arms reaching for something that was no longer there. He opened his right eye and tilted his head off the pillow, squinting at the harsh sun that was now beaming down at him. 

_ What time was it? _

As his senses came back to him, he noticed the sound of water running in the bathroom down the hall. 

_ Time for coffee. _

His body felt heavy, unlike the lightness he felt when he first woke up. Ironic since Sokka was definitely inhibiting the full extension of his diaphragm earlier. 

_ This is why I don’t sleep in… _

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_ Sokka _

As he approached the kitchen, the sound of humming got louder. Confused, he turned the corner and faced Lee smiling down at two freshly brewed cups of coffee. The man looked up when Sokka entered and yelped, obviously in his own head and not aware Sokka was out of the shower yet. 

Sokka chuckled, “Someone’s in a good mood.” He could have sworn there was blush on Lee’s cheeks, but it was probably just because he just woke up.

Lee handed him the cup on the left with visibly more cream in it, “I slept well.”

Lee looked at him briefly before a smile tugged on his cheeks again and he looked down, walking around Sokka to get to the table.  _ Strange. _

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_ Zuko _

As they walked to an open area in the woods where Sokka had previously set up archery equipment, Zuko couldn’t get the thought of last night out of his head. The feeling of Sokka’s warm body against his was swirling around in his brain, hands twitching as they grasped onto the memory. He remembered Sokka’s thigh pressed against him all night and the way it sent electricity up through the right side of his body. How his breath caught when he intertwined their fingers, feeling Sokka’s quickened pulse between them. How he had curled up to his neck when he was scared, breath ghosting over his clavicle and down his thin shirt, which also happened to be Sokka’s. He goes back farther, remembering Sokka’s rough hands on his hips when they moved past each other in the kitchen, the same strong grip he felt move him when Sokka went for the boomerang weeks ago. How they could be gentle too, remembering how Sokka’s fingers moved across his face as he healed him, steadying him. He knew it’s only been a couple months, but Zuko’s always been the fall hard and fast type. He felt like he was Sokka’s completely. And he hoped that last night was Sokka’s way of confessing too.

“You’re quiet today.” Zuko jolted a bit at Sokka’s voice as they pulled him out of his thoughts.

“I’m always quiet.” Zuko retorted, only glancing up briefly before looking back down at his feet.

He must have still been blushing from his thoughts because Sokka’s brows furrowed and he stopped in his tracks to say, “Are you feeling okay? You look flushed and you’ve been acting weird all morning.”

Zuko looked up with wide eyes, “I’m feeling fine! I’m just not used to...sleeping in.” He hoped that was a big enough hint that he wanted to talk about last night but he frowned to himself when Sokka responded with, “Yeah I found you sleeping on the couch this morning, that movie must have knocked you out.”

_ That’s not what happened at all!  _

Zuko’s chest constricted at Sokka’s words and he panicked, trying to convince himself again that he wasn’t making up his memories of last night. Sokka teased him and held him and...well, he _ slept on top of him for fucks sake!  _ He spent the last couple months convincing himself that Sokka felt nothing for him and he wasn’t about to revert back to that. He spent his whole life running from what he really wanted, trying to appease everyone else at the expense of his own feelings, and he couldn’t even succeed at that!

_ Fuck that. _

His voice found its power as Zuko let out a, “It’s easy to fall asleep when there’s a giant idiot of a weighted blanket on top of you trying to cuddle.”

He smirked and saw the flash of panic in Sokka’s eyes.  _ You’re not avoiding this, Sokka. _

“I get clingy when I watch scary movies! You know that!”

Zuko’s smile came back, he could never stay mad at Sokka for long, “I’m well aware. It’s okay Sokka. I...think it’s cute.”

Zuko looked over to gauge his reaction but Sokka kept looking forwards, not acknowledging what Zuko had just said. 

_ What’s his problem today? _

Worry churned in Zuko’s stomach as they approached the clearing. 

_ Was he making all this up? No, it’s been months of them dancing around each other. Then that means...no, that can’t be! Sokka has to like him back, right? But if that’s the case why is he acting like this? _

Sokka changes the deafening atmosphere with a, “We’re here! I’ll go get your bow.” He jogged ahead, leaving Zuko alone with his thoughts.

_ Maybe he’s not interested. _

Sokka waved at him from across the way, a smile now gracing his face. Zuko smiled back and started walking ahead, shaking his head.  _ Why did he always have to fall in love with ones that could never love him back? _

He caught up to Sokka, slightly out of breath from the walk there in the snow. His thighs had built up considerably the past couple months, but he was nowhere near as agile as Sokka was on this landscape. 

“Take a breath, I’ll go set up the quiver. Twenty meters today?”

“I’ve only done up to fifteen, remember?”

“Well I hate to be the first to inform you but sometimes things are farther away than fifteen meters.”

“Fine, but you can’t make fun of me when the only thing I hit is grass.”

Sokka feigns a gasp, “I would  _ never~, _ ” he smirks before continuing, “plus, I’m an excellent teacher, remember? You’ll be hitting the bullseye in no time.”

Zuko remembered their previous practices and sighed. Sokka was a great teacher and Zuko revelled in the feeling of Sokka whispering directions into his ear as he held onto his waist and hand. He shivered, thankful he had the excuse of being outside in the cold on his side. Dreams of Sokka holding onto his waist with one strong hand and holding down his hand over his head as he whispered hot in his ear had woken Zuko up many times in previous nights, usually leaving him feeling guilty as he lied back down in his own sweat. But this morning he woke up hopeful that archery practice would allow him to solidify if Sokka truly liked him or if this was just a game or a misunderstanding. After how Sokka acted this morning, he’s not sure if he’s going to be able to handle that today if Sokka keeps ignoring what happened. Teasing with intention he can handle, but teasing without any feelings was just unfair.

Zuko walked up slowly to the quiver, his head hurt from all of his racing thoughts. He had such a well thought out plan this morning. Everything seemed so clear and easy, just how Sokka always makes him feel. But this wasn’t anything like what he planned.  _ Why do his plans never work?! _

And there Sokka stood in his fluffy blue coat with white fur around the hood blowing softly in the wind, looking at Zuko like he was everything.  _ Would you make up your mind? _

Zuko gave him an eye roll before stepping forward and taking the bow from Sokka’s hands, “What are you looking at?”

“I’m just glad you humor me with stuff like this.”

“You think I’m humoring you?”

“Well...yeah. I mean, I don’t blame you! You don’t have anywhere else to go.”

“What?! Sokka, I’ve been healed for weeks now. I’m not humoring you by staying and doing these types of things.”

“I didn’t mean to- I just meant- Well, you never talk about it, I don’t know.”

“I’ve stayed because I want to. That’s it. I’m not stuck here.”

“I’m sorry.” Sokka’s voice was quiet and he looked disappointed.

“I know. It’s okay. Let’s just start, the bullseye isn’t going to hit itself Archery Master, Sokka.”

Sokka smiled softly, obviously thankful that Zuko didn’t turn their spat into something bigger.

Zuko tries shooting with his normal form for a few shots and seriously underestimates the target. Once there was a nice cluster in the grass in front of the target, Sokka tells him he’s allowed to change form and runs up to him. 

“Are you gonna coach now, finally?” Zuko sounded exasperated, the feeling of not doing well mixing with his doubts about how Sokka feels about him.

“Consistency is key! As long as you’re consistent, changing where you spot is easy.”  _ Consistent, right. Because you’re a natural at being consistent… _

Sokka positions himself behind Zuko as he tries not to react, positively or negatively, to Sokka’s hand on his waist. 

He leans down and starts instructing, “Make sure you only keep two fingers below, I think you’re trying to overcompensate with more fingers but that’s not going to work. You’re also pulling back past your lip to get more reach but that’s not good either. Where do you spot at fifteen?”

Zuko doesn’t answer.

“Lee?”

“Oh, um... top of red.”  _ Get it together, Zuko, he’s just a dumb guy who hasn’t paid attention to your obvious hints all morning. Focus. _

“Ok, try top of blue.” Zuko released the arrow quickly, strength waning.” The arrow pinged at the bottom of the wood with a pathetic smack.

_ God damn it. _

“That was better! Look, you hit something that’s not grass!”  _ I’m gonna kill him. _

“I’m serious! That was good. You got tired and released with poor form. Let’s do it again but I won’t talk as much.”

Sokka leaned back in and helped him pull back the bow this time, obviously showing off his strength. Under normal circumstances, Zuko would take this as patronizing if he wasn’t distracted by Sokka’s breath on his ear, sending a shiver down his spine.

_ Does he even know what he’s doing? He has to know what he’s doing...God, why is he so confusing?! _

Sokka smirked at the shiver, and moved even closer but was elbowed by Zuko, pushing him off.

He’d had enough of this. He pulled his hand away without care, letting the arrow fly off into the trees as Sokka made a squeak of protest, knowing damn well that arrow will never be found again.

Before Sokka could speak Zuko yelled.

“What the hell are you doing?” Sokka just stood there dumbfounded at Zuko’s question.

“Um...what are you-”

“If you’re going to keep making my heart flutter you better take some responsibility for it next time.”

Sokka’s eyes got wide. Words caught in his throat and he didn’t respond. Zuko sighed.

“You wanna know why I’ve stayed here? If it wasn’t glaringly obvious, Sokka, I like you a lot. Actually, I think I’m falling in love with you. Which is really fucking stupid of me. But I am. I’ve always just ignored it, with everyone. But I can’t now. I don’t want to ignore it anymore. So before I continue torturing myself like I always do, I need to know how you think of me. I haven’t felt hopeful in a really long time so when I met you I... didn't want it to be a lie so I played along. But I can’t do it anymore, especially after last night. I don’t do casual very well, I get protective and jealous and- and- awful! You probably know that, which is why you haven’t reciprocate-”

Zuko’s confession turned rant is cut off by Sokka’s lips on his, words muffled by his warm mouth. Zuko’s shoulders tensed at first but eased as Sokka’s gloved hands cup his chin, thumbs pulling down in order to deepen the kiss. Sokka’s warm tongue entered his mouth and Zuko was pulled in closer, naturally wrapping his arms around Sokka’s neck. His worries slipped away as Sokka’s tongue got more confident, dancing around his own and gliding against the roof of his mouth. Zuko let out a breath that was more vocal than he had hoped, causing Sokka to smile and break the kiss. 

Zuko looked up at Sokka’s blown eyes before glancing down at his lips glinting from the kiss. Deciding he wasn’t finished with him yet, he pulled Sokka back down. It was wetter this time, warmer. Sokka responded enthusiastically, drinking Zuko in. He let Sokka dominate the kiss again before biting down on Sokka’s bottom lip and pulling back, dragging a moan out of him.  _ God, he had hoped that’s what Sokka sounded like. _ He desperately wished they were anywhere else but the subarctic and he could take off Sokka’s bulky clothes. The heat building up inside his heavy coat got too much and he pulled away, panting. 

“Can we go home? I’d really like to take my clothes off. Or have you take my clothes off, whichever happens first.”

_ Sokka _

“Wh-what?”

“Oh come on, Sokka, we just made out I’m pretty sure the gig is up.”

“No, no, I’m on the same page with the clothes. It’s sweaty in here and quite unpleasant. I meant the first thing you said.”

“Can we go home?  _ Oh.  _ I just meant the cabin! You’re home I mean. Listen, I’m not the most articulate right now. I didn't mean to imply that.”

“Right, of course.”

_ Home. _

Sokka was quiet the whole way back but so was Lee so that was relieving. He couldn’t get his brain to settle down.  _ What did I just do? _

Lee had been his rock for the past two months. The man who brought him out of his slump and gave him the support and friendship he needed in order to move on. He gave him motivation to wake up, to go out, to cook, to play. He was happy and finally feeling like the person he used to be. He felt selfish. He felt as if this whole time Lee’s helped him recover and all Sokka did was supply some bandages and let him sleep on his old couch. It didn’t seem fair.

As they reached the house, a pit formed in Sokka’s stomach. He couldn’t give Lee what he deserved. He deserved a bright, fun, confident man who’d give him everything he asked for. Sokka wasn’t that. He had bad days and could barely offer fresh carrots. Lee deserved a lot more than fresh carrots. And a hell of a lot more than a hermit in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness with abandonment issues.

_ He doesn’t know what he’s getting himself into. I helped him two months ago and he feels like he owes me something. He hasn’t been able to interact with others here so he’s attached himself to me, that’s all this is. _

Lee’s light voice filled his ears as they entered the cabin, “Hey, I’m gonna take a shower, I feel absolutely disgusting.” 

_ So do I. _

Lee turned around and winked at him, “I’ll meet you in your room afterwards?”

Sokka forced a grin but when he looked at Lee’s shining eyes staring up at him for an answer he smiled for real and responded with, “Yeah, sure.”

He watched as Lee jogged down the hallway towards the bathroom before he headed into his own room. 

_ Zuko _

_ Oh my god, this is happening. God, why didn’t I snap out of it sooner?? _

Zuko turned the sink on and washed his hands before wetting his face, trying to think straight. He looked at himself in the mirror and smiled. He hadn’t done that for a while. 

It took him longer than expected to undress, the layers sticking together from the cold, friction, and his sweat. When he finally got everything off he cursed at himself for forgetting to turn the shower on, knowing it’ll take awhile to get warm.

He just couldn’t think straight. Sokka had kissed him. No, Sokka didn’t just kiss him, Sokka made out with him. And it was so, so good. Zuko pulled his hands up to his forehead and closed his eyes, smiling to himself as the memory came back. His body warmed at the thought and he pulled his hands away to check the temperature of the shower. 

_ God, what am I, 16?! It was just a kiss. _

He stepped into the cold shower, no longer caring about the warmth. 

_ Sokka could fix that later anyways. _

It had all worked out. The worry of the morning had completely faded away, replaced only with the thought of Sokka’s warm mouth on his and his strong arms around his waist and on his chin. He wondered what would happen now. Would Zuko move in officially? Would they tell the others? Aang probably knew, Aang always knew when it came to these things… Would he stay in Sokka’s room instead? God, now he’s just getting ahead of himself.

He shook his head, water droplets hitting the shower curtain as he did so. 

He turned the water off, stepping gingerly out of the shower. He toweled himself quickly, not wanting to waste anymore time. He had waited long enough.

He rubbed the fogged mirror with his towel, staring at his blurry reflection. He remembered there was nothing he could do about his hair and shrugged, giving himself one last small smile before pulling on some of Sokka’s loose pajamas. He couldn’t make it  _ too  _ easy for him.

He left the bathroom, feeling the cold of the rest of the house hit his damp skin. He turned towards Sokka’s bedroom and knocked coyly. When there was no response he opened it, it was just a formality anyways. His brows furrowed when he didn't find anyone in the room. Thinking maybe Sokka had gone to Lee’s room he turned back and headed down the hallway. The lack of light emanating from the bottom of the door made Zuko anxious. Sure enough, no one was inside.

He walked back, feet heavy, and made his way to the center of the living room.

“Sokka? Are you here?”

No response.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_ Katara _

_ Coat? Check. Purse? Check. Keycard? Check. What am I missing… _

Katara put a finger to her lip, her other hand moving to her hip.

“Ah! That’s it.” She turned around and jogged towards her bedroom, grabbing her extra pair of scrubs off the bed. “Boy, that would have been a disaster. I’ve been meaning to change these out of my locker for months.”

To her surprise, there was a loud knock on her door. She walked back towards her front door before calling out, “Aang? Are you home early?”

She looked through the peephole first, cautious since Aang should theoretically be well equipped with a key to his own house.

She let out an audible gasp before flinging the door open.

“Sokka?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't hate me I promise I fix it! I might have a hiatus this week so this chapter is extra long to make up for it.


	11. The Threat of a Tiny Spoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katara threatens Sokka with a tiny spoon, Aang is at the center of a Sokka betting circle, Zuko hopes it's simply taken Sokka 11 hours to buy flowers, and Suki is a part-time therapist but full-time dog.
> 
> Thanks to WhatMoreIsThereToSay for the amazing titles!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the extra week this chapter took, midterms were a rough time (and the world is on fire). 
> 
> Enjoy!

_ Sokka _

The jingle of the cafe’s door was a welcome cheery background noise as he sat at a table for two by the window, nervously cupping a large coffee in white porcelain in front of him.

“I fucked up.” His eyes don’t meet Katara’s.

“Oh, you mean to tell me you visited me for the first time in what feels like forever with panic written all over your face and it  _ wasn’t  _ simply because you missed me?” 

He swirled his coffee with the miniature spoon they provided him.  _ Why were these things so uselessly small? Is it too much to ask for a spoon that holds more than a milliliter of caffeine?  _ He resorted to picking the porcelain cup up with two hands and taking a gulp of the steaming liquid, instantly regretting it as the hot liquid burned down his throat. He looked down at the cup as if it had offended him.

“Sokka?”

“Why are these spoons so fucking tiny, huh?”

He still didn’t look up at her, but from years of experience he could tell she was looking down at him with mild amusement.

“Sokka, you’re deflecting.” She didn’t sound concerned, that was a good sign. He didn’t need a lecture right now. What did he need?

_ Lee. _

“Whatever it is, I’m here for you. You know that right? I haven’t exactly been a pillar of support lately but-”

“I know, I know you are. Thanks.”

“What do you need? Do you wanna talk about it?”

When there was no answer Katara continued, “Shopping?”

A smile tugged on the corner of Sokka’s mouth and he looked up at her with sparkling eyes, “Am I that easy? Shopping? Really?”

“Hey, it worked! You made eye contact. Come on, spill. Spill your heart out like a man and then we can go shopping.”

They laughed at that for longer than they should have, picking up the conversation again with a lighter tone. Sokka’s shoulders relaxed and he waited for his coffee to cool down before taking any more sips, abandoning the spoon entirely. They talked about everything and anything, taking turns back and forth, slowly easing their way towards the elephant in the room. He talked about Lee without any reservations, his smile evident as he rambled on for what felt like an hour about the silly things they’ve gotten themselves into for the past couple months. 

Katara’s smile fell as she set her coffee down, looking far too serious all of a sudden.

Sokka giggled, “What’s that face for? You’ve been telling me to clean out their old room for a year now, I thought you’d be happy to hear about it. Maybe even an ‘I told you so’?” 

“You’re in love with him, aren’t you?”

Sokka’s smile fell.

“You are! Oh, Sokka, is he straight, is that it?”

“Wh-what? No! I mean yes. Well yes, then no! I mean, I think. Well I don’t think I kinda  _ know  _ I mean he kissed me so he can’t be-”

“You  _ kissed _ ?!”

“Oh, shit, did I say that out loud?”

“Wait, wait!” Katara’s eyes shut close and she puts both of her hands up, “Stop! Can we go back to you being in love with him? Was that a yes or a no? I couldn’t keep track.”

_ You’re telling me… _

“He’s not straight.”

“So I gathered.”

“And I...may be in love with him. Any more questions?”

“Yes!” Katara sounded annoyed, “What the hell are you doing here?!”

“Next question.”

Katara took her spoon and pointed it at Sokka, “Answer the question, Sokka”

“Are you threatening me with your tiny spoon?”

“I’ve threatened you with worse. Spill.”

Sokka sighs deeply, “We kissed.”

“And?”

“And it was really, really nice.”

“Was he not into it? Did he get weird afterwards? Guys always get weird afterwards...” Katara glanced to the side, arms crossed in front of her.

“No, he was very into it!”

Katara looked at him skeptically, “I’m sorry, I’m not following. What’s the issue?”

Sokka put his head in his hands before pulling them down his face, “I panicked, okay? I panicked. I’ve never felt this way. About anybody.”

They sat there in silence for a few seconds, Katara waiting.

“It felt too good to be true; I was afraid that it was just a rebound of comfort after...  _ whatever _ he went through before meeting me. I-I was afraid he’d leave me too.”

“So you left first?”

_ Why was Katara so good at pointing out all of his problems? _

“Oh god, I’m a horrible person.”

“You are not a horrible person.”

“I am!”

“You’re just an idiot.”

“Thanks.” He sounded sincere. “What are the chances he’s still there when I get back?”

“From your description of the past couple months?” Sokka waited, eyes big and sad. “Pretty good.”

He smiled with her. 

She stood up resolutely, grabbing the check with a smirk.

“Are we leaving?” Sokka was still sitting in his chair, coffee half drank.

“You are. Get your ass back there right now, before I kick it. Apologize, bring flowers, tell him you love his equally stupid ass.”

“You think that’ll work?”

“If he’s still there? Definitely.”

“What if...he’s not.”

“Then come back to our place and we can get drunk watching cartoons. I’ll tell Aang to bring home the good stuff just in case.” She winked at him.

“Okay. Okay! I’m...gonna go.” She smiled at him, slowly putting on her coat as well.

Sokka lunged forward and gave her a big bear hug, not letting go for a while.

“Thank you, Katara.”

“You can thank me later, now hurry up and get out of here before I kick your ass.”

The light in Sokka’s eyes came back as he haphazardly wrapped his scarf around his neck, waving at her as he ran out of the cafe yelling thank you.

_ Katara _

She sighed to herself and shook her head, hands on her hips.

“It’s on the house, Katara.”

Katara turned towards the barista, eyebrow quirked.

“I owe Aang ten bucks. Tell him we’re even now.”

When she still looked confused, Haru gestured towards the door, still swinging from Sokka’s quick departure. Realization hit and she whipped around, “You had a betting pot with Aang about Sokka?!  _ My _ Aang?!”

Haru smirked, “I should have learned my lesson years ago with him, but I’m still a sucker. How does he seem to know everything?” He looked up towards the ceiling quizzically before looking back down at the mug he was drying.

Katara shook her head as she turned towards the door, “I’m gonna need a stronger drink tonight. Bye, Haru, thanks for this.” She pointed lazily towards their table.

Haru spoke up louder as she left, “Jun owes Aang too, you could always stop by her bar tonight!”

“For fucks sake, you’re all despicable.” 

The door shut behind her with a cheery jingle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_ Zuko _

The rough texture of the duffle bag straps scratched at his fingers as he rubbed at them nervously. He was packed and ready, why hasn’t he left? He reached for the zipper and paused, hand frozen above the pile of packed clothes that weren’t even his.

He groaned audibly before spinning around, hands running through his short hair. 

He couldn’t run. Not again. 

He whipped back around, digging the clothes out of the duffle bag roughly and throwing them into the closest drawer before slamming it shut.

“Fuck him for making me a better person!” He yelled out, kicking the duffle bag back under Sokka’s bed.

“Asshole.” He muttered to himself, arms crossed in front of him.

He looked up and out Sokka’s bedroom window across the room. The moon was almost full. It seemed brighter than usual, a small comfort. He stood there by himself for a few more moments, looking out at it before sighing.

He should have known this was too good to be true. He looked around Sokka’s room slowly, wondering what he should do. His eyes lingered at his reflection in Sokka’s wardrobe mirror before turning away, shame bubbling up his chest before slamming the door. He was clearly not the fairytale ending type.

He wandered around aimlessly, waiting for something, someone. He tried practicing what he would say when Sokka came back but never got very far. He was never much of a planner. He settled on the couch, letting anxiety pool in his stomach. As if on cue, Suki burst in through the dog door on the porch, ears perking up when she saw Zuko sitting there alone.

“Suki?” She pranced over, looking pleased, and cuddled up to him, allowing Zuko to pet the top of her head as she rested. 

“What were you up to, hmm? I bet you’ve had a better day than I did.”

She licked up at his chin and turned over, allowing him to scratch at her belly.

“We spoil you.” Zuko pulled his hand away, thinking. 

_ We. _

Suki sat up at the lack of attention, looking in Zuko’s eyes with her brows furrowed.

“What do you think, Suki? Is he coming back tonight? Should I have just left? Move on?”

She pawed at his shoulder and he gave in, going back to scratching behind her ears.

“I don’t want to leave. I want to tell him everything first. I think I should. I need to. That way, no matter what he says I won’t leave with regrets, right? Rejection will be easier that way.”

Suki moved her head to mouth at his left hand. Zuko sighed.

“Why am I so bad at this, huh?”

Suki’s head whipped around at the echo of heavy knocking at the door. Zuko’s heart skipped a beat as he looked towards it with wide eyes.

Was it Sokka? Did he  _ want  _ it to be Sokka? Well, he sure as hell didn’t want it to be anybody else.

He stood up slowly, Suki raced to the door and let out a bark, pawing at the oak. His palms started to sweat and he felt silly for not practicing what he was going to say more. 

_ Damn it. _

Wait, if this was Sokka wouldn’t he have a key? Why didn’t he just come in?

Confusion wrinkled over Zuko’s brow as he approached the door, heart racing. His throat was dry as he swallowed, turning the door handle and cracking it open.

A mixture of relief and anxiety spread through his chest to his toes as his eyes fell onto a familiar face poorly hiding behind a bouquet of flowers.

Zuko opened the door fully, letting Suki jump on Sokka’s legs and paw at his feet, wanting attention. A small smile spread on his lips as he looked at Sokka through the roses.

“You wouldn’t happen to have an incredibly intricate story about how you went out to get flowers while I was in the shower but a series of unfortunate events occurred so it ended up taking,” Zuko looked down dramatically at his wrist despite not owning a watch, “eleven hours?”

“No.” His voice filled Zuko with something he couldn’t put into words. Comfort? Clarity? Forgiveness? 

“Very well, come on in. This is your house anyways. You didn’t have to knock.” Zuko turned away, dismissive. 

_ Sokka _

The fireplace in the living room was kindling, leaving a soft orange glow to flicker throughout the rest of the cabin as he stepped inside his home. Zuko’s back was still turned to him as he walked away to the kitchen. Sokka heard the familiar click of the gas stove being turned on as he took off his wet shoes.

_ He’s making tea. _

“Jasmine or oolong?”

“Um...jasmine please.”

Sokka entered the kitchen hesitantly, slowly pushing out his arms to extend the roses towards Zuko. He caught his eyes as Zuko turned around, avoiding him. They were puffy and his left eye was hidden through the irritated and inflamed skin. Guilt pooled at the bottom of Sokka’s stomach. He was supposed to be helping him heal, not causing more pain.

Lee took the flowers and looked away quickly, reaching into a cabinet for a vase before filling it with water and arranging it on the table haphazardly. 

His back was still towards Sokka when he muttered, “Don’t look at me like that, please. I’m fine. I told you not to pity me.” 

Sokka went to speak but nothing came out, he wasn’t sure what to say.

_ Fuck, I should have practiced what I was going to say more. _

“I-I’m really sorry.”

“Me too.” Lee sighed and turned around to face him, hands resting on the table behind him.

“Wait, why are you sorry? I’m the one that panicked and left. It was a real dick move and I’m-”

“It’s okay, I forgave you about an hour ago while talking to Suki on the couch. I really shouldn’t judge, I spent most of my life running. I get it. Just...try not to do it again.”

Sokka looked down at a wagging Suki and made a mental note to give her extra treats later.

“I’m really glad you didn’t leave.”

“Me too.” Lee gave a soft smile and Sokka thought maybe things would be okay.

The tea kettle whistled and Sokka went to grab it but Lee stepped in front, “Let me.”

“Shouldn’t I be the one groveling?” Sokka scoffed.

Lee was quiet as he brought the pot to the table and gestured for Sokka to sit down.

“Actually, I haven’t been completely honest with you.” Lee looked down, his hands fumbling over each other in his lap.

The reflection of the flames from the fireplace nearby danced in Lee’s eyes as Sokka sat down next to him.

“What is it, Lee?” 

“Well first of all, my name’s not Lee.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the panic I put everyone through in Chapter 10, Sokka needed to figure things out for himself with Katara before they could move forward. Thank you to everyone sending comments and kudos, this is my first fic and I'm feeling very inspired to continue with more after this <3


	12. Prince Zuko is not a math gay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Can I get a grande white chocolate mocha?" "...Are you Prince Zuko?"  
> JK that's definitely not in the chapter but now I wish it was.
> 
> Zuko tells Sokka his real name and how he got his injury. Trigger warning for abuse (typical Ozai bs).   
> There's a confession or two and hurt/comfort to the max~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thanks to WhatMoreIsThereToSay for helping with edits and coming up with the best chapter titles. 
> 
> Thanks for the patience, being a day later than usual. I will try to stick with the Friday schedule but it will likely not be possible so please be understanding, I am very busy and 2020 is a nightmare for everyone.
> 
> This chapter is soft! After being not so soft! So enjoy~

_ Zuko _

“Your name’s... _ not _ Lee?”

Sokka didn’t look concerned, but obvious confusion pulled down at his eyebrows.

Zuko looked down, avoiding eye contact. 

“Please, tell me.” Sokka sounded sad.

Zuko almost wished he was angry, maybe then this would be easier. With a sigh Zuko looked up at Sokka, staring deep into his eyes as the glow from the fireplace flickered over the right side of his face. As if trying to catch the dancing light, he pulled his hand up and cupped Sokka’s right cheek. Sokka smiled a little, leaning into his hand and looking back at Zuko with intrigue.

“It’s okay.” Sokka’s voice doesn’t usually sound this small.

Zuko’s mouth opened just enough for Sokka to catch the hitch in his voice before closing again with a slow exhale, eyes closing with it. Zuko’s head fell forward, gently meeting Sokka’s forehead. Even though his eyes were closed he could feel Sokka’s smile from the pull of his muscles at his temple. He stayed there for awhile, collecting his thoughts. Sokka stayed still, letting him go at his own pace.

“Do you want to hear how I got my injury?” Zuko’s voice broke through the silence, forehead still pressed against Sokka’s. He could feel Sokka’s smile fall as strong arms reached around Zuko’s neck, holding him closer. He rubbed small circles at Zuko’s tense neck muscles where his thumbs met Zuko’s nape.

“If you’re ready to tell me, mystery man.” 

The playful tone in his voice was contagious and as Zuko’s eyes opened he couldn’t help but grin when he was met with Sokka’s amused smirk.

“It’s Zuko.”

“Hmm?”

“My name, it’s Zuko.”

“Zuko, huh.” Sokka’s brows furrowed and his eyes looked away in thought, “I always thought Lee was a little too generic sounding for someone like you.”

“Thanks?”

Sokka looked back at him, curious, “Is this where you tell me you’re a prince in hiding?”

“What?”

“It’s just a very...royal sounding name. It’s got that regal air about it. Prince, Zuko~”

“Would you forgive me faster if I was a prince in hiding?”

“Who’s to say? I don’t even know why I’m supposed to be mad at you yet.”

“I’m not a prince, Sokka.”

“Damn, I kinda liked the ring of that. Prince, Zuko~”

_ Leave it to Sokka to make this simultaneously easier and harder to explain… _

Zuko let out a sigh, a small smile mixed with anxiety showing on his face. Sokka took the positive change in tone as his opportunity to scoop Zuko up bridal style, carrying him over to the couch despite the protests. 

“What are you doing!?” Zuko’s tired eyes went wide as he stared up at Sokka, complaining with no intention of doing anything about it.

“You’re about to tell me about the worst day of your life, so I presume. Forgive me for wanting you to be more comfortable, Prince Zuko, I am just a humble servant,” sarcasm dripped from his voice theatrically as he carried him, abandoning their tea at the table. 

Zuko’s eye roll was overshadowed by the grin pulling at his lip, he knew Sokka saw right through it. 

Sokka was now settled into the couch, his left arm holding onto Zuko’s shoulders still as Zuko’s back rests against the pillow on the arm of the couch, legs bent over Sokka’s. 

Zuko’s face was relaxed in complete bewilderment as Sokka smiled at him, waiting.

“I’m listening. I promise. I just wanted to hold you while you explained. Plus, those chairs dig in after awhile.”

_ This is not how I thought this would go. _

Sokka’s face was soft, contrasting the burning look of his eyes. Zuko’s eyes flicked down to his lips before meeting Sokka’s eyes again as he pushed away the temptation to kiss him.

_ Get it together, Zuko, this is not the time. _

“Okay,” he scowled at the obvious shake in his voice, “Well...I’m not sure where to start.”

“The beginning?”

“Yeah, okay. I-,” Zuko let out a frustrated huff, “growing up was hell.”

_ This was going to be rough. _

“That’s a start,” Sokka sounded patient.

“I never really got along with my father. You probably saw that coming, right? It’s cliche enough. Well, he never had time for us, CEO of some company, wanted my sister and I to follow in his footsteps. And he played favorites, you know, sibling rivalries and all that. Well it turned out my mother didn’t get along with him either because she left us when I was 10. Just...gone.”

Sokka opened his mouth to say something but Zuko ignored it, not wanting to lose his momentum. 

“The rivalry increased after that, it was our way of coping I thought. Only one of us could eventually replace him, I thought if I won that then maybe I wouldn't feel so shitty about myself all the time. I’m sure Azula felt the same way. But it was apparent very quickly that I couldn’t win. She was better at everything. Math, writing, organization, negotiations, social situations, charm, you name it she could do it. Sokka, I’m..so bad at math.”

The concern in Sokka’s face softened into a smile as he brought a hand up to quickly caress Zuko’s cheek in amusement, “I think you’re charming!”

“Great, ‘Hermit from Middle-of-nowhere, Alaska thinks I’m charming’ I’ll be sure to go put that on my resume as soon as possible.”

Zuko’s chest didn’t feel as tight as it had been earlier.

“I am not a hermit!” Sokka smiled at the reference, “Fine, I’ll let it go for now. Continue.” 

The way Sokka looked at him like Zuko had hung the moon made what he had to say next a lot easier.

“She’s just...really impressive. In everything that she does. And I admired that! I did. It made me realize I didn’t want to win. I mean I couldn’t, but even if I could I wouldn’t be happy in that kind of position. I was good at other things. Things they didn’t know about. And things that, if they did know about, they wouldn’t find impressive anyways. But they were things that made me happy and I thought if I just faded away they’d never notice I was gone. But that was wishful thinking I guess. Nothing is easy with my father.”

“What happened?”

“I did something stupid, of course. I applied with Azula for university, as a business major.”

“That is pretty stupid.” Sokka hid a smile as Zuko’s eyes squinted at him.

“Not that part!” Zuko lightly hit his palm against Sokka’s chest as Sokka chucked, feigning annoyance.

“Sorry, do go on.”

“I lied to him. I switched my major to art two weeks into the semester. Azula made fun of me, of course, but I think she was relieved. And in her own way she was supportive for years, dad didn’t know for over four semesters. I was doing really well, in my classes and personally. I had friends and my sister there, far enough away where I wasn’t expected to visit home more than once or twice a year. We actually started to get along.”

Zuko let out a small laugh, still avoiding Sokka’s eyes.

“He found out, didn’t he?”

“Yeah, you have a bit of a spoiler,” Zuko gestured to his face and tried not to look at the concern growing on Sokka’s.

“We were over for dinner and he brought it up. I’m not sure how he found out but he’s got lots of resources and I’m not exactly the sneakiest so it probably wasn’t too hard to figure out. I knew I had to come clean, it was time. I told him I’d been in art school for years and a few seconds passed with him saying nothing, I thought he’d just tell me to get out. A small part of me even held onto hope that he would be okay with it. That he’d just say he didn’t need or want me so it didn’t matter what I did. But I was wrong.”

“Zuko, he didn’t…” Sokka’s voice was quiet and Zuko could feel his gaze burning even though Zuko was avoiding eye contact. The interruption made it easier to continue, he got to take another breath.

“Yeah, it was him. He grabbed me by the shirt so I was pinned, Azula screamed at him but he didn’t listen. I looked right at him and expected a punch but he grabbed the boiling water and poured it on me instead. I think some of it fell on his arm that held me down because he released me almost instantly. When I didn’t feel his weight on me anymore I just took my chance and ran. I didn’t even grab my coat or bag. I couldn’t see except out my right eye and I was in a lot of pain, it was just adrenaline acting at that point, I barely remember it happening. Thinking back on it, I don’t even know how I did it. I just ran. I assumed he’d follow me in order to make sure I didn’t tell anyone, figured he was planning on killing me if he ever caught up. I don’t know why he wasn’t right behind me but a part of me hopes that Azula had something to do with him not following me. He wouldn’t hurt her so I was never too worried. I’m older technically but it never felt like it growing up, she’s always been taking care of me instead.”

Zuko’s voice cracked and he stopped talking, obviously trying to hide the fact that he was close to crying. His vision out of his left eye was worse than usual and he knew trying to hold back tears wasn’t doing the swelling any good. He closed his eyes tight, appreciating the release of pressure as a couple tears fell, even though it stung running down on his left side.

His voice was stronger now when he continued, “Anyways, that’s why I lied about my name when you found me in the woods. I didn’t think... _ this  _ would happen and I didn’t want to leave a trace of anything. For your sake and mine. But that was really silly of me. I mean, he could have just...shown you a photo of me if he was tracking me down instead. I’m sorry for lying to you for months. And for putting you in danger.”

Sokka’s eyes were hardened, jaw set. Come to think of it, Zuko’s never seen Sokka truly angry. He has a way of brushing things off or twisting bad things into chances for humor. Zuko’s never seen him look...mean.

_ Sokka _

Anger boiled in Sokka’s chest as his breathing got more full. A rough hand reached up and held the left side of Zuko’s face, moving Zuko’s jaw to the right to get a better look.

“Your father did this?!” His voice was loud, accusatory. The grip of his thumb softened when Zuko’s eyes shut, producing a small tear out the right side that he was doing a pretty good job at hiding before. 

Zuko gave a small nod, “He’s capable of a lot worse, I’m sure of it now. And he’s got so many people who would do anything for him because of his money. I’ve put you at risk if he found out you’ve helped me. Especially now that you know. I’m so-”

“Stop!” Sokka hated himself a little bit when he saw Zuko’s eyes shut and his body pull back and stiffen in response but he couldn’t take it back.

“Stop, please. I’m sorry just- don’t apologize to me right now,” irritation clear in Sokka’s voice.

_ His own father burned his face on purpose, might be trying to kill him, and he’s apologizing to me? _

“You’re angry.”

“Yeah, I am! I’m pretty fucking angry!”

“Why?” Zuko’s voice sounded small, worried.

“Why!? Zuko, what the hell, man!? Why would I not be blood boiling angry about this!? Hm?! I’m angry about all of it! I’m angry your mom left you with that monster! I’m angry you had to go behind your family’s back just to regain some semblance of mental health and purpose! I’m angry that he - that your father,” Sokka looked up at nothing trying to find what he was trying to say before grunting and continuing with, “ _ THIS _ , I’m angry about this! He did this to you! For what!?”

“Sokka, it’s oka-”

“No! Stop! I’m angry I was making jokes and being sarcastic and being so, so me! I’m angry that you didn’t have anywhere else to go except for my stupid cabin. But now I’m mostly angry at you for apologizing to me. For thinking that I’d be mad at you for lying about your name or about your dad finding out I helped you.”

“Don’t think that. You being you got me through it. Really. I mean the creams and oils and plants and tea all worked wonders, I’m not gonna lie, but it was mostly just because of you. And... I love this stupid cabin.”

_ Right, the cabin. _

“I just feel like I’ve only brought you bad things. And I could bring even more later if he finds out. I’ve always been a dark cloud. Bad luck.”

“Zuko, I’m trying to be nice because you’ve been through a lot. But you’re a fucking idiot.”

Zuko’s face scrunched up in discontent, obviously not pleased with what Sokka had just told him.

“I’ve been in a dark cloud for years, I know what dark clouds are like, and you are not one of them. You’ve been the best part of my life for months! I’ve gone through my parents old room, I’ve mended things with Katara, I’ve thought about returning to med school. Hell, I’ve even started waking up earlier just so I can watch you meditate when the sun comes up in the morning.”

“Wait, you did what?!”

“Shh! No changing the subject,” Sokka’s voice was back to normal, “Zuko, the truth is...I’m in love with you.”

Zuko’s eyes softened and Sokka could see the knot in his chest deflate a little as his shoulders sagged from relief, “Sokka, I-”

“No, don’t. Don’t feel like you need to say it t-” Sokka’s interruption was re-interrupted by Zuko’s mouth on his, cutting him off. The kiss was mostly chaste, but long, with Zuko’s hands holding Sokka’s face close.

_ Zuko _

Zuko pulled away with a, “Don’t tell me what to do,” bringing a small smile to Sokka’s lips. He pulled his legs that were over Sokka’s under himself, repositioning so that he could straddle Sokka’s sitting body instead before they continued. 

Zuko, now with the high ground, grinned down at Sokka before leaning in for another kiss. He made sure to tilt his head this time, granting him easier access. Sokka’s hand reached up to Zuko’s face and Zuko assumed his intention was to pull him closer but he didn’t. His hand stopped just under his scar as he bit down gently on Zuko’s bottom lip, causing the smallest of gasps, before Sokka wiped away Zuko’s stray tears with his thumb. Zuko was grateful for the gesture, heart torn between an ache and a mend. As if Sokka knew what he was thinking, he wrapped a determined hand around the back of Zuko’s head, deepening the kiss. 

Zuko felt completely surrounded. The warmth of the fireplace licked at his back as Sokka’s arm held his waist down against Sokka’s thighs. His hands grasped at Sokka’s sweater, trying to pull him even closer. They ghosted low, making their way under the garment to spread across Sokka’s abdomen. Sokka moaned at the welcome touch to his skin and leaned back just enough to tilt his head in the opposite direction before connecting their mouths again. Zuko gasped when he felt Sokka’s hands on the skin of his back, obviously inspired by Zuko’s bravery, allowing Sokka’s tongue to slide deeper against his before pulling back for air.

He opened his eyes to meet Sokka’s blue ones, still piercing despite being blown. Sokka took this as an opportunity to pull at the back of Zuko’s hair, granting himself access to his neck as he mouthed down to his collarbone.

_ Sokka _

The room felt warm again, contrasting starkly how the room used to feel when Zuko wasn’t a part of his life. All of the mornings when Sokka woke up to step onto the cold hard wood floor and into an unlit living room, watching snow fall angrily outside his windows onto the dark, icy landscape, just to turn around and crawl back into bed, hoping for a better day faded away the more Zuko kissed him. Sokka felt a twitch in his chest every time Zuko let out a small moan or gasp, prompting him to continue. He was the reason Zuko was making those noises, why he looked so peacefully blissed out sitting on top of him, what his hands kept grasping for, and he didn’t want him to stop. 

When Sokka made his way to Zuko’s collarbone, he bit gently onto his shoulder before immediately leaving many open mouthed kisses in its place. Zuko allowed Sokka to pull his head back for better access, submitting to Sokka’s enthusiasm. Sokka’s hands moved down past the waistband of Zuko’s sweatpants in order to grab at his ass, causing Zuko’s head to come back up.

“Sokka!” Zuko’s eyes were open now, looking at Sokka in surprise.

“What? These are my sweatpants, I can do with them what I want.”

Zuko’s annoyed expression was overshadowed by the blush that had crept up his neck, which had several red-speckled spots that likely would still be there by morning, and onto his cheeks. Sokka stopped what he was doing in order to admire his work with a smirk. 

“Sokka?”

“Yes, Zuko?”

“I love you too.”

Sokka smiled softly at him, chest overcome with emotion and not sure how to proceed.

“I meant to tell you earlier when I first kissed you tonight,” Zuko continued, looking sheepish, “but I got distracted.”

Zuko’s hand scratched the back of his head, looking away from Sokka, but Sokka brought his head back to face him for a soft peck at his kiss-swollen lips. 

“How about I take you to bed?”

Zuko’s eyebrow shot up, “You mean...your bed?”

Sokka chuckled, “Yes, I mean my bed. If that’s okay. I can tell you about my visit with Katara while Suki fights you for pillow rights.”

“I’d like that. Although with my track record, I don’t have a chance against Suki.”

Hearing her name far too many times, Suki sauntered up and quirked her head to the side, ears pointing straight up.

“It’s settled then, bed it is. Come on girl!” Sokka accentuated his yell with a loud clap to his hands, causing Suki to immediately turn around and race to the bedroom happily.

Suki, as expected, comfortably took up half of the bed. However, it didn’t make much of a difference to Zuko who spent the night using the area between Sokka’s shoulder and neck on his chest as a pillow anyways. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you I'd fix it, didn't I? 
> 
> Victim complex meets savior complex meets dating?
> 
> Kataang shenanigans next week when they ~finally~ come to visit together.


	13. The Art of Drinking and Dancing Away One's Problems

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko struggles to talk to Sokka about the threat of Ozai, amongst struggling to dance~
> 
> Katara and Aang come to visit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A huge thank you to WhatMoreIsThereToSay for editing this chapter and coming up with a title.
> 
> And thank you to all of my readers for your continued support!

_ Zuko _

_ His breath fogged up the car window steadily. He could feel the unforgiving, icy glass radiating cool air onto his face and neck from the proximity. Anxious, he bunched up his sweatshirt around his fingers and used his hand to wipe the cloth against the window, momentarily clearing his view. The cabin stood tall at the end of the driveway, warm tones pouring out the windows from Sokka’s lanterns inside, causing the snow below it to sparkle in reception.  _

_ It was dusk, the sun was no longer visible but its light still emanated from the horizon, leaving the sky a dark mauve. He wiped away the fog again, impatiently looking on.  _

_ Where was Sokka? _

_ As the light from the sun slowly slipped away, Zuko’s anxiety grew. The forest that he’d come to love so much, that brought him comfort every morning, loomed above him. For the first time since he’d been here, he felt trapped by them, afraid.  _

_ He wanted to run out of the car into the cold, burst through the cabin door and never leave again. He wanted to fall into Sokka’s arms and lie there with him holding him, keeping him safe. He wanted to cry. _

_ He was frozen there. He tried to get his feet to move but they felt weighted to the ground. Something in his chest tightened and Zuko looked around frantically for something, someone to help.  _

_ This can’t be happening. _

_ He watched as a tall figure moved towards the cabin, the ominous shadow getting smaller as it walked away from him.  _

_ This only made him more afraid, pulling desperately at the locked door handle to open without success. He let out a small frustrated yell, banging on the window in vain with his shoulder but there was no one to hear him. _

_ The figure neared the cabin door and slowed momentarily before looking back over his shoulder at the car.  _

_ Zuko’s eyebrow furrowed as his breath caught in his throat, the figure manifested into his own appearance, long black hair falling past his shoulders neatly. No! Older, and without a scar... _

_ Ozai. _

_ After the realization hit, Zuko’s fight against the car door handle increased ten-fold, his yells getting louder and more desperate. _

_ Ozai continued forward, a brief pause before the cabin door opened. Sokka familiar figure appeared there, backlit by the glow coming from the inside of the cabin, taking up most of the doorframe. _

_ Get away! Get away! _

_ A loud CRACK! reverberated around the forest from where they stood. Zuko’s stomach jumped into his throat as his eyes shut tight and hands clapped tightly against his ears in surprise. He felt the pins and needles of fear prick away at his extremities.  _

_ Sokka’s figure fell, leaving only Ozai standing in the doorway, his dark figure contrasting against the welcoming light of the cabin. _

_ No! _

_ Zuko’s yells turned into sobs as he continued to pull, punch, and hit against the window. _

_ Sokka! _

“Zuko!”

Zuko’s eyes opened to a dark room lit by a small lamp on the bedside table next to Sokka. His breathing was heavy and as he turned his head towards Sokka he could feel the cold sweat against his skin, a bead of sweat trickling down his neck encouraged by his movement. 

“It’s okay, Zuko, it was just a nightmare.”

Zuko closed his eyes, nodding at Sokka’s words.

“Sorry. Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up. I didn’t...uh...say anything embarrassing did I?”

The concern on Sokka’s face softened into a smile as he took a tissue from his bedside table and wiped off the sweat from around Zuko’s forehead and scar, “You mean like ‘Sokka, kiss me again~’?”

“Something like that, yeah.”

Sokka leaned forward, giving Zuko a chaste kiss on the forehead before pulling him down on top of his chest and settling back into bed, fixing the sheets in order for Zuko’s back to be covered in the process.

Zuko took another deep breath, heart starting to calm down now that he knew he had made everything up in his head. Sokka was fine. He was fine. Everything was fine. 

But what if…?

He let his eyes close and his ears pick up the slow thump of Sokka’s heart below him. He nuzzled closer into Sokka’s neck, trying in vain not to let the worry building up in his stomach reach his head as Sokka’s strong arms held him close.

Once Zuko went back to school in the fall they’d need to cut off contact for a while. He couldn’t risk another phone, and letters could be intercepted. Sokka needed to be kept completely secret, completely safe, until he knew what was happening with Ozai and his family. Azula would likely be a liability, one he couldn’t afford to trust yet until he knew for sure whose side she was on. But if there was one thing he was sure about, he’d be safe with his uncle. 

He needed to talk to Sokka.

Tomorrow.

Zuko slowly drifted back to sleep, pushing away the thoughts of how Sokka was going to respond to that until another day. He knew he’d understand.

Sokka

A little piece of Sokka’s heart had broken a few minutes prior. He hoped Zuko believed his little white lie about not hearing him say anything. His mind was still mulling over Zuko’s panicked cries and whimpers, Sokka trying to wake him up only seemed to make it worse, but he was glad he did. Zuko was resting peacefully now, safe in his arms.

Whatever had happened in the dream reminded Sokka of himself last year. The same begging of a higher power he wasn’t sure existed to just let the person he loved stay. Waking up in the middle of the night, relieved it was just a dream yet left feeling broken by the reality that had already occurred. He hoped that wasn’t what Zuko was going through. 

He’d only been sharing the bed for a few days now.

How long had the nightmares been going on for?

He hoped it was a recent and rare development. Once he heard Zuko’s breathing even out he started to stroke the back of his head, feeling the course straight hairs tickle at his palm. 

“They’ll pass with time, love.”

When there was no response, Sokka reached up with his left hand and turned off the bedside lamp, plunging them into darkness once more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_ Zuko _

Excitement hung in the air as the two of them frantically made the final preparations for their guests arriving soon that evening. Sokka looked up from a sizzling pan and looked at Zuko’s soft smile staring over at him while setting the table. It was an ordinary day that Sokka had decided to make extraordinary, a feat that Zuko found admirable and entirely too lovable.

“What’s that look for?” Sokka inquired.

Zuko’s smile stayed where it was as he looked down, trying to decide whether to place the chopsticks with the tips to the left or to the right above the placemats.

Azula would know.

“Nothing. I’m just happy for you. I think tonight will be good for everyone.”

Suki bounded in energetically, sensing everyone's excitement. Her ears were perked up, curious, looking back and forth between Sokka and Zuko trying to figure out what was happening and why her toys had been placed back into the box by the tv instead of strewn about the floor. She let out a couple happy barks when she heard the doorbell ring. 

A look of panic crossed Sokka’s face, so Zuko whispered, “It’s okay, just relax. I’ll get it,” as he passed him in the kitchen on the way to the door.

Katara, deciding that waiting for her brother was a waste of her time, opened the door right as Zuko was reaching for the handle.

“Hello!” She said loudly with a smile as she entered, banging her boots against the step to get the snow off before stepping in. Aang was right behind her, waving up at him. 

Zuko stood there, not quite sure how to welcome Sokka’s sister into her own family cabin. Sensing the hesitation, she reached her arms out wide and stared up at him expectedly. 

Zuko blinked down at her, unsure as to what she wanted.

“Oh! Right. Yes, good to see you both,” Zuko stepped forward and opened his arms, enough to give Katara permission as she closed the space between them for a hug. Aang was right behind her, not passing up the opportunity to give both of them a hug as well.

“I mean, it’s good to meet you, Katara. And to see you again, Aang,” he muttered as he scratched the back of his head.

“You too, Lee! A lot has happened since we last saw each other, I take it?” Aang looked happily between Zuko and Sokka who has now appeared in the doorframe of the kitchen.

Zuko turned back to face Sokka with a squint, communicating to Sokka non-verbally as to why the hell he didn’t tell them his real name.

“Oh you have no idea, Aang.” Sokka smirked and glanced at Zuko again before giving him a small wink.

Katara left Aang and Zuko in the dining room together before heading to the kitchen.

Sokka

His sister and brother were group hugging his poor, newly defined boyfriend in the foyer and although Zuko’s body language screamed ‘help me’, Sokka couldn’t help but feel fond.

When Katara came over he leaned down to pick her up by the waist in a bear hug as she screamed when he lifted her up and spun around, “You haven’t fed me enough alcohol for this nonsense yet, put me down! We are adults!”

Aang shouted, “Since when?” from the dining room.

When he let her back down she held his face between her hands, looking up at him, “You look good, Sokka. A hell of a lot better than the last time I saw you. And he’s cute. A little awkward, but it suits you.”

“Thanks?” Sokka laughed at her words, pausing to fully take in the fact that she was finally here in front of him at their parents cabin. 

_ Zuko _

Aang was the same as the last time they spoke, but Zuko felt as if he was a completely different person. In fact, to Aang he probably was. While he was shocked at first that Sokka didn’t tell them about the name change, he relaxed a little knowing that it likely meant they had no idea about how he got his scar.

“Your hair’s gotten longer!”

Zuko blushed as the memories came back from their first meeting, running his hand quickly through his cropped hair as a reflex, “Yeah, we don’t match anymore.”

“It suits you. Sokka isn’t the greatest barber —”

“I heard that!”

“—and I’m sure it’s not your preference, but it looks good! The scar is looking a lot better too, is Sokka still treating it?”

“Sometimes, yeah. He’s been skimping on the lotion recently.” Zuko’s voice increasingly got louder as he complained, glancing behind him to make sure Sokka heard.

“The gall of some people…” Aang shakes his head, winking at Zuko.

“I heard that too!” Sokka’s voice rang from the kitchen, over a giggle from Katara.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It turns out that Sokka would make one hell of a bartender, and Zuko was slightly bitter that he had been holding out on him all this time.

Zuko wasn’t entirely sure what was in his drink but he loved the way it tasted of citrus before burning the back of his throat. He’d downed a couple, knowing he shouldn’t push it with guests over, but he was very much enjoying the slight lack of inhibitions creeping their way throughout his body. They had never drunk together, and Zuko was trying to maintain his composure in order to ensure they did in fact do this again. Often. 

Yes, he had pouted at Sokka when Katara got an umbrella in her drink but he didn’t, and no, he will absolutely never admit that the feeling in his toes had started to wane.

Aang did not drink, of course, but his energy was as high as theirs. He had run to Sokka’s tv what felt like fifteen minutes ago, attempting to play music but failing because, “Why do you own so many remotes?!”

Zuko felt throughout the night how easy it would be to be Aang's friend, and was grateful that Sokka and Katara had someone like him in their life as well. 

How different would my life have been if I had someone like Aang in it earlier?

The sudden strong bass of salsa music caused the three of them to jump slightly as Aang yipped at his success.

“Lee! Come dance with me!” 

Ah, very different...

Sokka and Katara doubled over laughing while Zuko just stood there smiling from the request, “I do not dance, Aang.”

“Oh come on, you’ve had like three of those, let loose! Sokka won’t dance with me and I get to dance with Katara anytime.”

“Hey!” Katara placed a hand on her chest, mocking hurt.

Against Zuko’s better judgment, he joined Aang in the living room, impressively only tripping over the rug once during their dance.

_ Sokka _

He’d been too busy enjoying the night and blabbering about all the things Zuko and him have been up to with Katara to drink, a fact he was more and more grateful for the longer the night went on. 

His boyfriend was currently attempting to salsa dance in his living room with his life-long sober best friend, and if there was ever a time where he wanted to be completely aware of his surroundings it was this moment.

Zuko fit in so well, so quickly, and Sokka was happy, they all were. 

This house is alive again.

Katara lightly hit Sokka on the arm before scooting her chair back and heading over to her husband.

“May I have this dance?”

“Of course, my lady.” Aang’s eyes were filled with the usual amount of love they held just for Katara and Sokka sat, cheek in hand, enamored by them for a few more seconds. Grateful that Katara got what she always deserved a long time ago.

Sokka didn’t realize that Katara was trying to get Sokka to go dance with Zuko until far too late when he caught the sight of Zuko standing awkwardly to the side of Katara and Aang, leaning against the fireplace with a stupid grin on his face, looking just as charmed by the two of them as Sokka was.

He stood up, confident enough that his tipsy boyfriend would be accepting of this, and made his way over to make a fool of himself.

Zuko looked surprised when Sokka held out his hand, but took it quickly. Sokka wasn’t sure if the blush was from their dance or from the alcohol, but it was cute regardless and Sokka, for the only time that night, wished Katara and Aang weren’t there, just so he could pick Zuko up bridal style and carry a giggling boyfriend back to the bedroom.

_ Zuko _

He had a feeling the warmth in his chest wasn’t entirely from the alcohol but instead from the way Sokka was looking down at him with admiration. Or maybe it was the way Sokka was holding his waist and playfully leading him around the room, giggling every time Zuko apologized for stepping on his feet. Who’s to say?

Yes, Sokka looked extra confident, content, and entirely too sexy to be allowed. And no, he will absolutely not admit that to him. At least not with company around, he’d need a few more drinks for that.

The evening had calmed every anxious nerve from his previous night, leaving only comfort and a twinge of guilt in their place. He needed to talk to Sokka soon, he wanted a solution. And above everything he wanted Sokka, he wanted to stay. He knew he couldn’t though. Not for now at least. But he hoped more than anything he could be with Sokka despite that. 

~~~~~~~~~~~

Katara and Aang had left about an hour ago, leaving Sokka and Zuko alone with Zuko resting his head on Sokka’s thighs, looking up at him.

“You look gone, babe. Your eyes are blown.” Sokka smiled down at him, caressing his cheek.

“I am not! I can handle my liquor, thank you very much. I’ll have you know that the room is only spinning slightly. And it’s probably because I’m dizzy from your poor dancing skills~”

“Right, so it’s my fault.”

“It is, entirely.”

“I should make up for it.”

“You should.”

“And how do you propose I do that, Prince Zuko?” Sokka’s voice was teasing, eyes entirely too sparkly to be trusted.

“Medicated lotion?” Zuko’s eyes twinkled back at him as he watched Sokka’s surprised expression turn to laughter.

_ Sokka _

“As you wish, darling.” Sokka grabbed the bottle of lotion he’s kept on the coffee table and squeezed an ample amount onto his hand.

“You are a complete handful, you know that?”

“Pssh, yeah right, isn’t that why you fell in love with me?”

“No, I believe that was because you are a considerate and enjoyable person to be around. I don’t remember one of the pros being ‘is a complete handful’.”

“Ha! So you are in love with me.”

Sokka sighed down at him, “Yes, I believe we’ve been through this.”

“I know, it’s just nice to hear again.” Zuko smiled at that despite Sokka scolding him for moving his face.

“Would you stay still? You are the worst patient ever.”

Zuko scoffed, “Man, if this is how you treat your worst patient I can only imagine what you do for the good ones.”

They both laughed at this. Sokka both taken aback and impressed by Zuko’s quip, slightly concerned by the implications that Sokka would ever have relations with one of his patients. 

“There, I’m done. How does it feel?”

Zuko’s eyes remained closed, smiling at Sokka’s words blind, “Good. You know, if someone had told me at the beginning of this year I’d be in this situation, with you, here, I would have told them they were crazy. I still go to bed sometimes thinking when I wake it it’ll be just a dream.”

“Me too. It’s...kinda unbelievable.”

“Things like this don’t happen to me, Sokka. Things that happen to people in movies. Good things.”

“Well they should.”

“I guess.” Zuko sat up at that, positioning himself in Sokka’s lap and kissing him slow on the lips, pulling away with heartache in his eyes.

“Sokka...we should talk.” Zuko’s voice sounded sad and Sokka was not in the mood for sad tonight. 

“We should. Tomorrow.”

Zuko giggled, “I told myself the same thing yesterday.”

“Tomorrow, I promise.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I didn't scare anyone with the nightmare! Y'all know I could never actually kill Sokka in a story.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed! I will likely skip next week due to the holidays. But more soon! Thanks again for all of the support through comments and kudos, they really make my day. Stay tuned for more drama and shenanigans shortly!


	14. Heartache and Human Canvases

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko dances around the subject of him going back to school and shows off his painting skills...kind of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the wait guys, it's been one family emergency after another but I'm back. This chapter is over twice as long as my average, as a peace offering. 
> 
> Thanks to WhatMoreIsThereToSay as usual for the amazing titles and editing skills (and for keeping me sane this past month so that this chapter was even possible).
> 
> And thanks again to you all who comment and leave kudos, they've kept this story going!

_ Zuko _

Zuko woke up exhausted, his body and mind going in opposite directions. His feet propelled him forwards towards the kitchen unconsciously, step by step, as the thought of Sokka sleeping peacefully churned in his head. The sunset wasn’t visible this morning due to the season, maybe that’s why his body ached so much. 

He doubted it. 

He reached for the coffee machine, snapping out of it for a second when he noticed a slight shake to his hand. He pulled it back and held it with his other hand, taking a deep breath.

The safety these walls provided, the generous warmth of Sokka, his refugium in the woods, all things he’d have to leave soon. And in doing so he’d have to hurt the person he loved. 

_ It’s not fair! _

His eyes closed and he let memories of Sokka circulate in his mind instead. Chasing Suki around the kitchen, impromptu snowball fights while walking through the trails, games of pai sho by the fire where Sokka would tip the board over on purpose when he was losing, watching Sokka sleep next to him in the mornings. A small smile crept up his face.

_ Do I have to leave? _

He turned to empty the coffee filter and met his reflection looking back at him in the small wall mirror by the entrance. He paused to stare at himself, stepping closer. He’d gotten used to the scar, or so he thought, but occasionally he surprised himself. He watched as his eyes filled with clear liquid and looked away in shame as the familiar feeling of his throat closing rose up his neck. He closed his eyes again, regaining his composure as his chest rose and fell more heavily, fists clenched. The cabin had a habit of answering his questions for him.

_ Yes. _

Guilt was a new feeling for him, and it hurt more than anything his father had ever done. He’d always run away before getting attached to people. He kept things casual, distant, so that things like this never happened. 

The walls of the cabin creaked inwards as if they’d swallow him up as the wind picked up outside. He knew what he needed to do and it was for the best. It was for Sokka, whether Sokka liked it or not. Whether  _ he  _ liked it or not. 

The tears never fell.

_ How am I supposed to tell him? _

Tired of being in the dark, Zuko switched the light on. The light burned his eyes as he regretted his decision for a few seconds, grumbling to himself as he opened the fridge for some eggs. He ruffled through the pantry afterwards, emerging with two cups of rice. He pulled his finger out of the rice cooker after measuring, shaking off the water quickly before reaching for the hand towel. He shuddered to himself as the feeling of the cold water lingered on his skin. Why was everything so cold this morning?

His eyes caught on a small art print under a magnet on the fridge. He’d noticed it many times but never remembered to ask Sokka about it. He recognized it easily as a small postcard of  _ Wanderer above the Sea of Fog _ , likely a souvenir since there was nothing written on the back. He wondered what drew Sokka into it? How much Sokka knew about art, if he did any himself? There was so much he still didn’t know about him that he wanted to. 

Inspired and curious, Zuko reached for the print next to it. Two foxes danced around each other, one a bright orange and the other a dark charcoal. It contrasted greatly against the melancholy German piece. He didn’t recognize it, but smiled to himself as he reached to grab it, enamored by the style. Removing the magnet, he turned it around. The lettering read “Quvianaqtuk Pudlat,  _ Playful Foxes _ ” in the top right. His eyes moved to the center of the blank card that wrote “Thanks for coming!” in cursive above a signature Zuko couldn’t decipher. 

“Do you like it?” 

Zuko’s heart skipped a beat as a small yelp jumped out of his mouth, a shaky hand coming up to grab his chest.

Sokka let out a loud laugh, “Sorry! The lights were on, I assumed you saw me come in. I didn't mean to scare you. Well, this time,” Sokka scratched the back of head, smile faltering, “You seem on edge, everything okay?”

Zuko let out a deep sigh before placing a hand on his hip, feigning annoyance before melting into Sokka’s incoming embrace.

“Good morning, by the way.” Sokka kissed the top of his head before turning to grab two mugs out of the cabinet. He leaned back on the counter across from Zuko, glancing over at the coffee trickling down beside him into the steaming pot. 

“I’m fine, Sokka.” His voice sounded weary and he knew Sokka would call him out on it. Sokka knew him better than he knew himself.

“It’s just...the art reminded me of school. I miss it. It’s been awhile you know? Since I’ve gotten to paint. And it’s about the time of year I’d be going back for the fall…”

_ Would Sokka get the hint?  _

Did he want him to?

Sokka’s face perked up.

_ Well that’s not the response I expected… _

“I thought it would be way more serious! Phew, you were scaring me, Zuko. I can head into town and get supplies for you, you know?”

Zuko shook his head quickly, “Please don’t do that, it’s not necessary.”

Sokka nodded, “I mean, it’s probably for the best. I’d scare Piandao half to death if he saw me there.”

Sokka gauged the confused look on his face and continued with, “Oh, sorry, he’s just someone I took art classes from as a kid in school. Well, he promised he’d give me a good grade as long as I promised to never major in it.”

“That bad, huh?”

“Oh, I was awful. But I had ~imagination~ so that’s something! I think he enjoyed having me, all things considered. He wasn’t the type to smile much but his lip was always turned up whenever he looked at what I handed in.”

“...that bad, huh?” Zuko had a hard time hiding the amusement in his voice as he teased Sokka.

Sokka lunged for him and Zuko ducked out of the way, gaining distance from his reach by successfully getting the kitchen island between them.

“Come back here!” Sokka’s eyes lit up with determination, “You’ll pay for that!”

They both turned as the sound of the coffee maker dinged loudly, letting them know it was done.

“Truce?”

“Fine, but only because you make good coffee.”

Zuko’s body relaxed as he poured Sokka a cup, leaning against his respective counter as he blew on the surface of his own.

“Why is it that when you make it it tastes so much better?” Sokka looked down at his cup with annoyance, as if it had offended him.

Zuko shrugged, “What would you do without me?” 

The words almost faltered at the end but he caught himself just in time. A part of him didn’t want to rouse suspicion, but his heart wanted to ease the transition for Sokka as much as he could. 

“I just told you, I’d have shit coffee.” Sokka deadpanned which made Zuko smile.

Somehow, that’s exactly what Zuko needed to hear. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What the hell, Sokka?”

Zuko’s wrinkled nose looked disparagingly at the jumble of odd children’s painting supplies that were just dropped in front of him on the living room coffee table. His eyes turned upwards, looking at Sokka with the same expression. 

Sokka’s face held a confident grin, “It’s all the art supplies I could find in the house! I don’t think they’ve been touched since I was 10 so...you’ve been warned. Also, I don’t think green is an option,” Sokka reached down and picked up the bottle of forest green acrylic paint, “when I shake it nothing moves, look.” 

Sokka shook the bottle furiously but there was no sound besides a slight crinkling of the old label on plastic. He frowned in response. The bottom of the bottle was slightly darker, showing the shadow from the dried paint inside.

“Sokka…” Zuko paused, not knowing how to put it as he picked up the pieces of printer paper Sokka had laid out, “Not to be pompous, but I work on canvases. Large canvases. Using…ink. Not paint that has the words-” Zuko pauses to read from the label, “ _ washable, for kids! _ on it.”

Sokka scoffs, “Well I don’t exactly have a  _ large canvas _ do I? I thought that was fairly obvious when I brought out my expired children's painting supplies.”

Zuko smiled as he stood up off the couch and made his way over to a pouty Sokka. In just a couple steps he was standing in front of him, reaching up to the collar on Sokka’s shirt. After the second button was undone Sokka protested.

“No! You will not try to make it up to me by getting me naked, I’m mad at you!”

His mouth was the only protestor, Sokka’s hands stayed on his hips, letting Zuko do what he pleased. After Zuko finished with the buttons he walked around Sokka, pulling the shirt off his shoulders and releasing Sokka’s arms from them as he went. Sokka was rambling on still about “disrespect” and “Prince Zuko” and “what’s wrong with it being washable?” but Zuko was only half listening as he stood behind his boyfriend, hand under his chin in thought. His eyes scrutinized Sokka’s tan back before interrupting Sokka’s rant with, “This will do.”

Sokka stopped mid-sentence before looking back at him, “What?”

“Your back, it’ll work.” Zuko’s hands reached up to touch the top of Sokka’s shoulders and caressed him softly as he unconsciously ran his hands down to Sokka’s waist in deep thought. 

“Work?!” Sokka looked slightly hurt and Zuko let out a giggle.

“As a canvas! Stop pouting, silly.” Relief spread across Sokka’s face before it scrunched in concern again, realizing what Zuko had said. 

“No! Zuko, I couldn’t. I would never shower again.” Sokka’s face went soft. 

“You don’t know that. What if I’m a horrible artist?”

Sokka gave him an incredulous look. Zuko smiled in response as he reached for the blue bottle, “It’s washable~”

“Well now you’re just using my own lines against me.” Zuko nodded, a big grin spread across his face as Sokka pouted.

“I wanted to keep it.” Sokka’s voice sounded almost sad and a part of Zuko wondered if he knew. If he wanted something of his to keep and if he saw the painting as that opportunity.

He shook those thoughts out of his head.

_ That’s just wishful thinking. God, when did I get so romantic? _

“I’ll take a photo, I promise.” 

Sokka considered this for a while before agreeing, “Fine. But I still think this was all just a ploy to get me naked.” 

Zuko rolled his eyes and Sokka made his way over to the couch, positioning himself so that he was lying stomach down, strong shoulders facing Zuko above him. 

“Just relax, you’re gonna have to sit still for awhile.” Zuko left to clean off the brushes Sokka had provided. They were hard as a rock and Zuko couldn’t help but tsk to himself as he cleaned them off. To his surprise, they softened up under the water quite well despite the few odd strands here and there. They weren’t exactly the bamboo and sable brushes he preferred but they would do. Sokka would get a proper canvas of his later, he’d make sure of it. 

He settled himself on his knees straddling Sokka’s ass, leaving his back fully open. Sokka’s face was turned to the side, his eyes looking up at him.

“Don’t.” Zuko’s voice was curt.

Sokka smiled and closed his eyes, somehow perfectly understanding what Zuko meant despite him only saying one word.

Zuko’s brush met Sokka’s back and he half expected a dramatic declaration about the temperature or the gross feeling of the paint on his skin but Sokka barely tensed before easing himself back, without a word.

Zuko continued, more confident that his canvas wasn’t going to run away. It was far sloppier than he’d accomplish with proper supplies, but he still gave it his best. He bit his bottom lip in concentration as he mixed the whites and blues, winding them diagonally across Sokka’s back. Sokka’s content smile went unnoticed.

Zuko couldn’t help but be reminded of classes. The praise he’d receive from some professors, and the criticisms he’d get from others. He much preferred the criticisms. He felt as if they were honest, that they cared about his work rather than dismissing him as passable. He didn’t mind the occasional harsh words, they were never about him, they were about his art. He knew what it sounded like when people were criticizing him, the difference was easy to notice. 

He thought Romanticism would be where he wanted his focus to be, but his Japanese art history professor, Dr. Druk, was slowly convincing him that Japanese kaiga was what he was most interested in. He was fearful at first, anxious that a focus that specific would lead to less opportunities, less support, especially compared to such a popular style like Romanticism. After all he’s been through the past several months, he’s even more convinced that it never would have mattered. 

He smiled to himself as he thought about how long it's been since he’s worked with paint. It was crude, and the consistency clumped more often than not, but that made it interesting.

_ After all, isn’t the texture of paint why people find it so intriguing? _

It’s texture melded with the contours of Sokka’s back, his golden hues contrasting beautifully against the blues Zuko applied on top. Zuko’s mind drifted to a lecture on how traditional Japanese painters used to paint on top of gold leaf for a more striking shine and to show off their wealth. He’d been to exhibits before, and remembered how long he stood there in the back as others walked past, just staring at how beautiful they were. That feeling that had brought him so much joy, peace, and love couldn’t possibly compare to the swell he felt in his chest when his golden Sokka opened his eyes up at him with the softest smile on his lips, completely trusting and vulnerable beneath him.

“You stopped.”

“S-sorry. I’m not done. I was just thinking.”

“About?”

_ How beautiful you look. _

“Just that Piandao might have been right. I think you make a far better canvas.”

Sokka’s laughter filled the room as his torso lifted up slightly, his arms holding him off the couch just enough to let the air out.

“Sorry! Sorry, I’ll be still. It wasn’t even that funny, I’m just bored.”

“Mhm.”

Zuko used the pause in momentum to switch to warm colors. Sokka’s right scapula naturally stuck out slightly as Zuko attempted to paint around the area. 

“This is hard. I think I’ve found a new appreciation for cave artists.”

“My skin isn't that rough is it?”

“Like sandpaper.” Zuko smiled at himself when he saw Sokka’s mouth drop in disbelief.

“Alright, cheeky, just because you have the high ground doesn’t mean I’m not gonna get you for that later.”

“Looking forward to it.”

The painting was coming together; honestly far better than Zuko was expecting. The river was rough, creating a tumultuous, winding path. The sun’s colors mixed smoother than the chunkier white, hovering over his right shoulder, although he did have to pick some of the yellow clumps off Sokka’s skin bit by bit in order to achieve it. The exceptionally expired white once again came in handy when Zuko attempted a moon in the lower left, just about Sokka’s hip, achieving nice bumpy crevices for the greys. Only the trees on either side of the river remained.

“So, Picasso, what do you want to do with your art degree?”

Zuko’s throat went dry. 

_ Degree? Does he know I’m going back to school? _

“Well, um, when I was taking classes I didn’t really think that far ahead. And it doesn’t really matter now anyways.”

Sokka just hummed in response, letting the room fall silent for a few seconds.

“You sound like Lee.”

“I-excuse me? 

_ What the fuck does that mean? _

“I hate to break it to you, Sokka, but Lee and I are the same person.” Zuko shook his head, bringing his hand back down to Sokka’s back.

“I don’t think so. Zuko is confident. More stubborn. Zuko wouldn’t give up that easily.”

Zuko’s hand stopped moving and he pulled his back straight, sitting up properly back on Sokka’s thighs. He didn’t know what to say. Sokka wasn’t making any sense. Ever since Zuko started being Lee he was all of those things. Right? His forehead wrinkled as he thought hard about how miserable past Zuko used to be. How much of a coward he was. But Sokka didn’t see him that way.

_ I guess I’ve been more open ever since I confessed… _

Zuko thought about the night he told Sokka the truth. How the fear loosened its grip around his heart with Sokka’s unconditional acceptance. How he had said things he would never have said before, done things he never would have done. He’d embraced himself. Something even Lee couldn’t do.

“ _ Oh.  _ I uh, guess you’re right,” Zuko pulled himself off of Sokka, stretching his legs slightly before turning quickly away.

“It’s done, Sokka. I’ll go get your phone for the photo, as promised.”

The walk to the dining room table felt as if he’d been dragging iron boots. Sokka’s words sounded like acceptance. His stomach churned in confusion. Was he reading too much into it?

_ Zuko wouldn’t give up that easily. _

He must know, he has to. Why hasn’t he said anything?

_ He has. _

Zuko slid one of his hands through his cropped hair, releasing a breath he’d been holding in. Sokka’s black phone glinted from the overhead light as Zuko picked it up, heading back to Sokka on the couch. His head was now propped up on his left hand, his right arm dangling off the couch touching the carpet below. His eyes looked mischievous but his smile was soft.

“What?”

Sokka’s eyebrows went up at Zuko’s inquisition, “Can a man not be excited about his boyfriend’s art? Although at this point I’m half expecting you to have trolled me...”

Zuko rolled his eyes, “It’s nothing vulgar, Sokka.”

“Damn, I kinda wanted it to be. That would have been great.”

“No, it would have been what  _ you  _ would have done.”

Sokka stuck out his tongue as Zuko crossed the edge of his vision, positioning himself back on top. The  _ CLICK _ of the phone’s camera rang louder than Zuko expected.

_ What kind of old man doesn’t keep their phone on silent nowadays? _

“You know my password?” Sokka barely sounded surprised.

“It’s Suki’s birthday, Sokka. A bit of a no brainer. And for the record I really hope your bank account is protected by something more creative.”

“Pfft! It’s what she deserves. Now can I see it?” Sokka lifts his left arm so that his torso faces outwards, allowing his eyes to reach Zuko’s behind him. He looked hopeful.

_ Cute. _

Zuko pulled his body back so he was no longer on top of Sokka, both positioning themselves besides each other on the couch as Zuko handed the phone over. 

His heart sped up as Sokka grabbed the phone out of his hand.

_ Oh god what was I thinking.  _

His right eyebrow shot up when he saw Sokka’s mouth open slightly. The initial surprise morphed into a smile as he used his fingers to zoom in closer. 

“The trees are red.” There was playfulness in Sokka’s voice, releasing some of Zuko’s anxiety.

“Well they couldn’t be green.”

“So naturally red was the next best choice?”

“They’re complimentary! And I happen to like the color red.”

Sokka’s eyes closed tight as a loud laugh escaped his lips, “You know, you’re cute when you get all serious. I’ll never question your kid’s paint decisions ever again.”

Zuko couldn’t help the small pout on his lips.

_ This was your idea! _

Sokka’s mischievous eyes sparkled across from him again as his body leaned forward, hands reaching for Zuko’s.

“You know, you’re also really cute with paint all over your hands.”

A small grin cracked Zuko’s pout, “Thank you, it’s wash-”

Zuko’s sentence was cut short by Sokka’s lips on his now teal-tinted hand. Sokka sitting shirtless across from him, shoulders showing peaks of paint that Zuko meticulously applied to his god-given perfect skin, kissing his messy, tired fingers was a bit too much for Zuko’s short-circuited brain to handle at the moment. It didn’t help that Sokka was looking through his eyes as if he could read exactly what he was thinking. Oh god, what  _ was  _ he thinking again…?

“-able.” Zuko tried very hard not to look like a baby deer but could only assume he was failing miserably by the smirk that glimmered across Sokka’s face.

“You wanna test it?” Sokka’s voice was suddenly deeper than before as he leaned closer to Zuko’s knees, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Oh, wow, leave it to you to make kids’ paint dirty.” Zuko’s eyes broke from Sokka’s.

“What? You got me shirtless first! And it’s definitely my turn to be on top. You squandered your opportunity earlier by not making your move while I was pinned.” Zuko let Sokka straddle his thighs, now sitting comfortably with his knees on either side of Zuko.

Zuko stuck his nose up in the air and crossed his arms, “I am a professional, Sokka, it’s unethical to take advantage of your subjects~”

“Second opinion: you like it better when I top.”

Zuko’s jaw dropped in disbelief, “Do not flatter yourself, Sokka, it doesn’t suit you.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Sokka finally closed the gap between them, having had enough of the banter. His lips were uncharacteristically cold, but Zuko figured he’d have time to change that. Confident hands snuck up along his sides before one gently encircled the left side of his neck, thumb brushing over his adam’s apple. The other made purchase along his jawline, using his chest to push Zuko’s back against the couch. 

Zuko’s hands made their way by habit around Sokka’s back, flinching away when his brain finally processed that he’d stuck his hands in wet paint.

_ Whose horrible idea was this again? _

“Ya-aish!” was the sound that managed to come out of Zuko’s mouth as he pulled his hands back in annoyance. It was also the sound that Sokka was now laughing at him for. 

Sokka’s laughter gradually muffled as he leaned down, burying his head in Zuko’s neck as Zuko let out a slow sigh.

“You just finished putting that on two minutes ago! How did you already forget about it?” Sokka finished with more laughter.

“I was distracted.”

“I’d say. Sorry I’m so irresistible~” Zuko’s squint showed more adoration than annoyance as the corners of his lips turned up with Sokka’s words.

“Good, you should be sorry.” 

With that, Sokka pulled himself back up before taking Zuko’s face in his hands, guiding it forwards as the tilt allowed him to kiss the top of his head.

“Shower?”

“Yes, please.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_ Sokka _

Sokka reached groggily for the bunched up comforter, eyes still closed, willing himself to go back to sleep. The room seemed dark; it was probably still early morning but it was hard to tell, the sun was in its early stages of becoming entirely useless as an indicator of time. 

The bed was cold, a much better indicator of time. Zuko must have been up awhile ago. 

Knowing he should check the time but dreading facing the reality of having to get up, Sokka peaked suspiciously at the alarm clock across the bed on the nightstand.

**11:46 am**

_ WHAT?! _

Sokka sat up quickly, rubbing his eyes in the process to get a better look at it. There was no doubt about it, he had missed half the day.

_ Damn the sun.  _

Sokka let out a deep sigh, pulling himself out of the bed. The floor was cold against his bare feet, sending a shiver down his spine as he looked for his socks and robe in the dimly lit room.

Sokka’s mind was still in the early process of waking up as he reached for the door knob. Before his hand could grab on, his eyes caught the sight of something unusual sitting on top of the chair by the door. He stayed frozen in that position as his eyes processed what it was. 

The white of the envelope seemed to glow in the dark room. He’d be drawn to it if the lettering on the front hadn’t made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. His throat tightened as he swallowed, unblinking. He wanted to look away from it, pretend he didn’t see it. He wanted to run into the living room and find Zuko playing with Suki on the couch. 

**_Sokka_ **

Sokka knew what was in the envelope addressed to him. He didn’t need to open it. He reached again for the handle, this time connecting to the chilled metal as he turned it firmly, slowly. The hallway was dimly lit as well. He passed by the long hallway table, taking his time to stop and light the incense and candles by his parents' photos. He knew he was avoiding the inevitable, but he kept walking. He checked every room, just to be sure. He stopped for longer when he tried the kitchen, turning on the coffee machine before he left again.

_ “What would you do without me?” _

Sokka smiled to himself. He allowed himself to. 

He used to think after losing someone, smiling meant that he didn’t miss them. That if he let himself be happy then that meant he never really loved them. Moving on meant that he’d forgotten about them, that he wasn’t still hurt by their loss. And that wasn’t true. Because it hurt every day. So of course he wouldn’t be happy, how could he?

The past several months had changed him, and he wasn’t afraid to admit it. That part of him was healed. He expected another loss so soon to tear that wound wide open, but he knew Zuko wasn’t gone. Not really. Zuko needed a resolution, he deserved one. And Sokka knew better than anyone that Zuko needed to do it alone. 

His heart ached as he walked back to his bedroom, knowing if he didn’t read the letter right away he’d drive himself insane. The envelope was less menacing now; its fate certain. 

Sokka still took care while opening the seal, afraid of damaging its contents in some way. He pulled the paper out slowly, unfolding it with his thumb as he went. It read:

**_Sokka,_ **

**_I did what I promised myself I wouldn’t do. I ran away again. And you have every right to hate me for it. I do. But I can’t tell you where I’m going in case you try to follow me. And I knew if I told you I was planning on leaving you’d convince me everything was going to be okay and I would have stayed. God, I want to stay, Sokka. But it isn’t okay, not yet. And I have to be sure._ **

**_I need to do this, Sokka. And I need you to be safe while I do. I can’t protect you any other way. And I can’t move on from what happened until I know things are settled. Don’t worry about me; I have a plan this time!_ **

**_I’ll be back. I trust Suki to take care of you until then. Even if I convince myself that you don’t ever want to see me again, I’ll be back._ **

**_I promise._ **

**_-Zuko_ **

**_P.S. Go back to med school, you make one hell of a doctor~_ **

Sokka’s tears surprised himself after he felt the first two drip coldly off his face, hitting the paper below. His hand flinched to the side, protecting the letter from any further damage.

_ Fuck. _

Sokka leaned forward slowly until his hand touched the wooden floor of the bedroom, his knees bending beneath him as he positioned himself sitting up on the floor. He discarded the letter gently beside him as his arms wrapped around his knees, feet no longer registering the chill of the floor. 

He decided he’d be happy for Zuko tomorrow. Today he could cry.

He reached into his pocket for his phone, grimacing at its bright glow. He mustered a couple words in a text before tossing the phone beside him on the floor and going back to hugging his knees.

**To: Katara**

**He left.**

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope the wait was worth it! This one came from the heart. I'd love to know what you think below! Only a couple chapters left~


	15. A Whole New Level of Aang

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sokka gets a visitor~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The holiday season and some life events have gotten in the way of my usual schedule, sorry about that! I hope everyone is staying happy and healthy over the holidays~

_ Sokka _

The snow-covered gravel crunched beneath Sokka’s boots as he made his way from his car to his mailbox, clicking the lock button to his car on his keychain absentmindedly. 

_ Was there really a point in locking it anyways?  _

Previous headlines of dextrous bears in the area came to his mind as he walked, pulling the fur-lined hood of his coat over his head. He supposed highly intelligent bears hanging around his cabin would be a bigger issue than his car being stolen, although if it was the wild bear that stole his car he didn’t think he’d mind as much.

The metal fasten on the mailbox was rusted and required a sturdy pull to open. Sokka meant to fix it years ago but never got around to it. Who was going to send him mail anyways?

Things were different now. 

Smiling to himself, Sokka pulled off his right glove in order to grab the piece of cardstock lying on the bottom of the mailbox. He quickly unzipped his coat and placed it in his left inside coat pocket, making sure it didn’t get wet. He knew what it was and told himself it deserved a more dramatic first look than under a dimly lit outdoor lantern. He wanted to be warm inside, snuggled next to Suki with a cup of tea in his hands while he read it.

It had been about eight months since Zuko left, and since then he’d gotten a few postcards from a mysterious “Z”. Zuko wasn’t very subtle, but the thought that Zuko felt comfortable enough to use the first letter of his actual name, let alone send something directly to Sokka’s address this often, was comforting. He hoped it meant that Zuko wasn’t as scared anymore, that things were better for him. Maybe even that things with his father were resolved. But he knew that wasn’t the case quite yet. Zuko would come back to him once it was. Right? 

_ He promised. _

Sokka’s steps quickened as he approached the cabin’s front door, suddenly impatient. His heart had quickened and he scolded himself for being such a hopeless romantic. Suki greeted him inside, taking his discarded glove and running with it, hoping for his attention. Unfortunately, Sokka’s mind was too preoccupied to care about his newly slobbered glove. He successfully removed a boot by the door, hopping on one leg as a melted piece of ice absorbed its way into his sock as he attempted to pull the other one off. He hung his large coat on the hook by the door before unbuttoning his resident's coat and hanging it on the opposite side of the rack. His embroidered name stuck out against the stark white fabric, just above the left pocket where he kept spare pens and the occasional little pieces of hard guava candy he kept on him for “emergencies”. 

He’d been welcomed back at his old hospital with open arms, and promised with his previously completed rotations and high marks he’d only need a couple more years to get his license. He had a feeling it was due to short staffing in this area, but he liked to think it was also because of his merit. He was well liked in most departments, but pediatrics brought him the most joy. He’d gotten close to some 1st year residents in the department, Haru and Teo, who he had over to the cabin a couple times for game and movie nights. It was slightly out of the way, but they didn’t seem to mind, taking full advantage of their rare down time. Plus, Sokka had the most elaborate and expensive array of liquors out of the three of them. 

Once he got his license, Sokka figured he’d leave the dull walls of the hospital and try to start up a physician’s house call business. It was much more his style, and he would be able to reach his distant neighbors and people who he knew didn’t have access or the desire to reach the hospital if they needed it. 

Sokka headed to the kitchen, putting his kettle on the gas range before calling for Suki to come lie with him on the couch. He let himself look at the card he’d been carrying just to the left of his heart, allowing his eyes to finally process the electric purple coloring of a glossy postcard. It pictured a big city with high buildings and modern architecture, with neon signs glowing over the bustle of the crowd below. The top left corner read “TOKYO” in large bubble letters. Sokka flipped it over to see the familiar handwriting scratched in ink on top of the designated lines:

**_Suki,_ **

**_I just got out of an exhibit that took my breath away, but the presence of that many beautiful things in one room without you just didn’t seem right. I’ll take you next time, yeah?_ **

**_~Z_ **

Sokka couldn’t help the cheesy smile that spread on his face.

“Dork.”

Suki’s ears perked up at Sokka’s words, tilting her head slightly before scooting closer toward his hand for pets.

“Zuko says he’s gonna take you to Tokyo. What do you think about that, huh? Would you like that, girl?” 

Suki’s tail wagged at Sokka’s excited tone, licking at his hands as he scratched her neck.

“He’s not even taking me, can you believe it?”

Suki’s eyes looking at Sokka with adoration before barkly lightly.

“That’s what I thought.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sokka woke up groggily, the sound of reverberating wood ringing lightly in his sleepy ears. He blinked a few times, taking in the usual surroundings of his bedroom. As he went to rub his eyes, the sound of someone knocking on the front door echoed loudly again through the cabin. Sokka’s body froze as he thought.

_ Who the hell could that be? _

Sokka didn’t get visitors unless they were specified ahead of time. Sokka pulled the covers off his legs, wincing as the cold air hit his open skin, making the hair stand up. Realization hit just as his feet hit the floor.

_ Zuko! _

Sokka sprang up towards the door, flinging it open roughly as his newly awakened legs propelled him down the cold hallway. Hope pounded in his chest as he reached for the front door, fumbling with the locks due to his impatience. He whipped the sturdy wooden door open as fast as he could, eyes wide with excitement.

“Zu-!” Sokka’s words caught in his throat as his brain registered that the person waiting on his stoop was definitely not his Zuko but an older man with white hair and a beard.

Embarrassed, Sokka mumbled an apology before glancing down at himself and realizing he was still in his boxers, which may or may not have the Power Rangers on them, and a stained white tank top.

“Oh, shit! I mean- excuse me, sir!” Sokka panic-closed the door, grabbing the longest coat he had and haphazardly buttoning it to make sure he was properly covered before opening the door back up.

“I’m so sorry! Can I help you with something?”

The old man chuckled to himself, “No worries, son. I should have known not to disturb anyone at this hour.”

His voice was gravely but comforting, something about it felt familiar…

“I’m actually looking for someone. They’ve been missing for awhile and I’ve been trying to track them down. I’ve been searching for so long without any sign of him; you see I’m very worried. He’s just a-”

The man’s sentence was cut short by Sokka’s hands on his collar, pushing him backwards roughly against one of the pillars on the small front porch.

“Ozai?! You’ve got some balls knocking on my door, you son of a bitch.”

There were lots of places Sokka could think of where no one would ever find his body...

“Ozai?! No, no, that’s my brother! Honestly, I don’t see the resemblance but I don’t blame you, I get that a lot.”

Sokka’s grip loosened slightly, “What? Who the fuck are you? And what do you want with Zuko?”

“I’m Iroh, Zuko’s uncle. He hasn’t mentioned me?”

“Not particularly.”

The man made a face of disappointment mixed with understanding.

“I can’t say I’m surprised, I haven’t really been there for them after I had a falling out with my brother. I’ll make you a deal, son, let go of my shirt and I will make a special pot of tea while we talk about it, hmm?”

Sokka’s brows wrinkled.  _ How the hell am I supposed to trust this guy? _

“There’s photos in my wallet. Do you want to see?”

Sokka’s heart dropped slightly at the proposition and he wasn’t sure why. 

“Y-yeah. Yes, I do. Sorry.”

The man smiled, which Sokka found strange considering he was still pressed up against Sokka’s wooden pillar in the cold. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a worn brown wallet, flipping to a section in the back with two small photos side to side, both with crinkled edges from being wedged into the old wallet. 

Sokka let out a small breath when his eyes landed on the first one. Zuko was instantly recognizable, but likely 10 years or so younger than what Sokka was used to. His hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, his face lacked a scar. His eyes didn’t possess their usual liveliness, but they still drew Sokka in. Next to him was a girl around his age, but slightly shorter. Her dark bangs framed her face and she gave a small smile. A tall figure stood behind them, with a beard that was dark and fancily cut. His eyes were thin and harsh, lips tight.

“That’s Ozai, you see? With Zuko and Azula. I’m over here, look.”

The man pointed at the second photo, “I’ve never had my brother’s looks or his figure,” he chuckled, “but thanks to my wife I make pretty good-looking kids, huh?” The man smiled up at Sokka as he pointed to the boy in his late teens in the photo beside Iroh, smiling wide at the camera. 

Sokka released his grip on Iroh’s collar, apologizing again.

“No need to apologize to me, son. I should be thanking you. Obviously you care very much about my nephew. After what I’ve heard from a little birdy, you’ve seen a lot, and it’s perfectly reasonable for you to lack trust.”

Sokka felt a swell in his chest; this Iroh fellow was very good at buttering people up, and as much as he wanted to keep his guard up, Sokka’s intuition was telling him to trust this man.

“Please, come in.”

Iroh stepped inside first, placing his shoes by the door and hanging his coat on the rack, noticing Sokka’s white jacket in the process.

“You’re a doctor?”

“Resident, actually.”

“And I can call you...Sokka?”

Sokka scratched the back of his head, “Yes, sorry, I forgot I never really introduced myself.”

“That’s okay. You know what they say, you can tell a lot about a man by the state of his foyer.”

_ Do...they say that? _

“I presume you have a kettle?”

“Yes, sir.” Sokka lunged for the kitchen but was stopped by Iroh’s strong voice behind him.

“Allow me, Sokka. I own a tea shop in the city, I think I know my way around a kettle. I want to treat you, to thank you for your help. Sit down and relax, you look like you’ve swallowed bees for God’s sake.”

_ What does that mean? _

“Um, okay. Sure.” Sokka took a seat in the kitchen nook, watching as Iroh set up the pot. 

“How was his condition? When he arrived? Were there others involved?”

“I don’t think so. Just me. And, uh, it — ”

_ How exactly to put this... _

“— wasn’t good.”

Iroh just gave him a slow nod as he worked, “He is lucky someone of your caliber found him,” he gestured to the front door with a raise of his eyebrows.

“Oh, uh. Actually I wasn’t even a resident when I found him a year ago. I...uh, had dropped out.”

“ When you let go of what you are, you become what you might be.”

“E-excuse me?”

_ This guy was a whole new level of Aang. _

“Don’t mind the old man, Sokka. Anyways, I thank you again. Azula told me the story, I was afraid he’d be blinded. Is he?”

“I don’t think so. It was only on one side, and once the skin had healed enough for him to open his eye back up again he could still see out of it. Although I think the tear-duct is permanently damaged, at least somewhat. And he would get headaches, so I think his depth perception is off on one side. But I...didn’t want to press so we didn’t talk about it too much after the burn had healed. Knowing him, it’s probably worse than he lets on.”

To Sokka’s surprise, Iroh smiled softly after he finished, “He’s stubborn isn’t he? And so prideful. I commend you for knowing not to press. He’s the type where it’s best to wait until he asks for help. I learned that the hard way…”

Sokka’s lip turned up as well, enjoying the company of someone who knew Zuko as well as he did.

The kettle let out a soft whistle, Iroh pulling it off the stove before it rang too loudly. 

The two of them talked over tea for over an hour, discussing what each side had seen and heard about the event. Sokka was relieved to know that Ozai had given up on finding Zuko, claiming that he must be lost in a ditch somewhere at this point, and that he was no longer worth his time. 

“Now, I know this is a sensitive subject, but do you have any idea as to where he took off to?” Iroh gauged the scrutinizing look on Sokka’s face before continuing, “You see, after I heard about what happened I’d been rebuilding my case that I started over a decade ago. Ozai’s lawyers were too strong against the weak case I presented, and I ended up being separated from the kids then, but if I could get his testimony now, we have a shot at getting him put away this time.”

Sokka fidgeted with his spoon while deciding whether or not to trust him, the slight quiver in his voice after he mentioned the previous case going sour managed to break through Sokka’s wall.

“He said he was going back to school. And that I should too. That’s all I know, he didn’t tell me where he went. And school records are private.”

Iroh hummed in response, “I’ve spent over a year looking for my nephew, Sokka, I’m not about to be deterred by sealed school records. Have you ever seen Zuko go a morning without coffee? Or a night without tea?”

Sokka paused, “I’m afraid I don’t follow, sir.”

Iroh just smiled in response, “You’ll figure it out. Leave it to me, son; I’ll find him. I’ve learned from my mistakes. I’ve got the best lawyer in the whole damn state this time. There are some things that Ozai’s money cannot buy him, and a favor from Attorney Kyoshi is one of them.”

Iroh stood up slowly, fixing his jacket along the way. 

“Now, if you could afford one more act of hospitality, where is your bathroom?”

“Down the hallway, straight. It’s the door facing the hallway before it turns to the left.”

Iroh bowed slightly before leaving the kitchen.

Alone with his thoughts for the first time this morning, Sokka was desperately trying to process everything that had happened. 

_ Was this really happening? _

Sokka’s nerves started to build again. He wasn’t usually the nervous type, but this was important. And there was a lot at stake. He desperately hoped he had made the right decisions, and said the right things. 

By the time Iroh returned, Sokka had gotten up and made his way to the foyer, meeting him there. 

Iroh spoke as he collected his things, “Thank you for all that you’ve done, Sokka. I can’t believe I found you. It must be destiny.”

“I suppose, sir.”

As Iroh reached for the door he stopped suddenly, turning back to face Sokka. He placed a gentle hand on Sokka’s shoulder as he said, “Oh! And Sokka, I approve.” Iroh winked at him as he opened the door, stepping outside into the harsh wind.

“Sir?” Sokka called out, bewildered. 

Iroh gestured back towards the hallway.

_ Shit, the photo of them Katara took at the party while they were dancing! _

Sokka had framed it and added it to his photo collection in the hallway, right at the front, not thinking anyone would see it, especially anyone who knew about Zuko. Sokka’s words caught in his throat, not knowing whether he should confirm or deny it.

“The tongue may hide the truth but the eyes never do~” Iroh sang as he walked away, giving a small wave.

Sokka let out a sigh that turned into a soft smile. He was never sure how a man as evil as Ozai was related to his Zuko, but parts of this eccentric, stubborn man definitely reminded him of his boyfriend. It made his heart ache more than usual. 

_ How long would he have to wait? _

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_ Zuko _

The ambiance of the cafe helped clear Zuko’s head as he focused on the sketchbook leaning haphazardly against his knee. He sat in a small booth in the back, the advantage of being able to see anyone who came in being lost a little more with every stroke of his wrist, fully absorbed in his work. He was never big on sketching, but these past eight months or so it had helped him with his anxiety levels and let him practice line work without having to turn anything in. 

His latte had long since been forgotten, sitting half empty on the beat up table in front of him which leaned slightly crooked to the right. The cafe wasn’t popular by any means on campus and had horrible lighting, but Zuko liked that it was never too crowded, and the barista that worked full time was always kind to him despite his occasional bad mood. 

The door behind him snapped to a close and by the time his head registered the growing clicking sound across the hard-wood floor as Mai’s heels it was too late.

“I leave for two minutes and you’re already back to drawing Mr. Mountain Man?”

Zuko’s hand flinched from the intrusion, causing a large stray mark through Sokka’s soft grey face, his other pulling the sketchbook closed as quickly as possible. An annoyed huff escaping his lips. He looked up at Mai, dark red lipstick shining brighter now that she redid it after their coffee break.

“Leave it alone, Mai.”

“You won’t, why should I? You used to draw Lover Boy smiling, what happened?”

“I’m afraid that’s between me and my therapist.”

“You don’t have a therapist anymore. Not since you came back.”

Zuko’s face scrunched in exasperation as he looked up at her.

“Fine, I’ll drop it for now. Are you coming to class? It’s partner day and I can’t be paired with Ty Lee again, her face is way too perfect to make interesting. You’re way more fun to paint.”

“Oh gee, thanks, Mai.”

“That was a compliment!”

Zuko’s lips curled up when he saw a soft smirk spread on Mai’s face. He wouldn’t describe his friend as overly expressive, but she was genuine, and when she did smile it always reached her eyes. Zuko liked that.

“I’ll be there.” Mai nodded as she grabbed her satchel and walked out of the cafe, giving a half-assed wave as she went. 

Zuko reached for his latte, now luke-warm, downing the rest of it in a few large gulps. He reached to put his supplies back in his backpack, thinking about Mai’s words. A brief smile fell on his lips as he thought about how much Sokka would  _ hate  _ being called Lover Boy. He placed his sketchbook over his chest tightly, considering opening it up to gaze at his mind’s version of Sokka some more but deciding against it in favor of actually getting to class on time for once. 

Gingerly placing it in his backpack, his ears perked up at the sound of the cafe’s door jingling lightly. Jin, the barista, greeted them cheerily from behind the bar as usual, asking them what they would like.

“Just a pot of jasmine tea, please.”

The voice of the man made his veins turn to ice as his head shot up to look towards the entrance, eyes wide. He could feel his heart pounding in his ears as their eyes met from across the cafe.

_ Uncle?! _

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One chapter left! Thank you to everyone who leaves comments, it helps so much and I appreciate you all!! <3


	16. The one where everything melts into place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sokka comes home to find a mystery package at his doorstep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last one!!! We did it, guys! Enjoy an extra long finale chapter~
> 
> A quick thank you to WhatMoreIsThereToSay for editing this and for her constant support.

_ Sokka _

The days were getting longer, warmer, but nothing quite cured the numbness in his fingers or the sting that winter left in his chest. The sound of melting ice dripping off the roof of the porch and onto the steps behind him echoed in Sokka’s ears as he pushed the brass key into the front door lock. It slid in easily and turned counterclockwise without any resistance. The usual strain of the turning metal silent as he pulled the unused key out of the lock.

_ Weird. _

Sokka swore he had locked this before leaving for work this morning. In the forty minutes it took to drive back home, Sokka had already forgotten all about his day. His mind was like that lately, not forgetful or apathetic, just preoccupied. It was foggy, filled with grey smoke. All he needed to do was reach past it, swipe it away, and grab hold of what he wanted. It was malleable and ephemeral, easily cleared if he wanted it to be. But he let it fill his head, willingly, temporarily blurring the thoughts that he didn’t want to be palpable. 

Releasing his key, he pushed the door open slowly. He stayed where he stood for a few seconds, cautiously, thinking. He shook his head, disturbing the smoke as it swirled momentarily faster, chaotic inside of it. 

_ I’m losing my mind. _

With a sigh, Sokka took a step forward across the threshold just as a large, slim package by the door caught his eye. 

_ A package? _

Sokka wracked the fog for any recent online purchases he’d made but didn’t remember ordering anything.

He leaned down, a bead of sweat from under his thick coat trickling up his spine with the change in gravity. The jury was out on whether his body felt overheated or chilled, heat coming in flashes now as he grabbed the package and turned back towards the front door. His sweat reminded him that he’d need to change into his lighter coat for the upcoming summer. The change in season had only recently caused daily temperatures to periodically break freezing, causing the snow in the area to melt during the hottest parts of the day just to re-freeze overnight. Sokka hated this time of year, feelings that had exponentially compounded now that he was commuting to the hospital six times a week. There were some things in life that Sokka needed to be predictable, the weather was one of them. 

Sokka’s eyes skimmed the words on the package as he crossed the threshold to the foyer, absentmindedly closing the door with his boot behind him.

His heart skipped a beat at the name on the large, white printed label:  **_Zuko Sozin_ **

Zuko was one of the things in his life that wasn’t so predictable, although Sokka was undecided on whether or not he needed him to be. 

_ Sozin? Is that his full name? Zuko sent something with his full name to my address? _

This just happened to be one of the situations where Sokka wished Zuko  _ was  _ a little more predictable. Not knowing when Zuko was going to contact him had left every letter and postcard sent to his address the past two years causing some incredible ups in his life, where his heart ached with something other than grief and uncertainty, but the ups had only amplified the lows. The time between the letters had been cruel to him. 

With wide eyes and a racing heart, Sokka scanned the top left corner of the thin package for an address label:  **_The University of Alaska Fairbanks_ **

_ The university? Why would Zuko send records to Sokka’s address?  _

His body pulsed with the heat of his winter coat mixed with the warmth of panic slowly rising within him. Deciding it was best to resolve his current issue of homeostasis before looking inside the parcel, he hurriedly unzipped his outer layer, sighing as the cool air came into contact with the sweat on his back and torso. The cold shivers were welcome as Sokka touched his face in an attempt to ground himself. His chilled fingers burned against his no-doubt crimson cheeks, his breathing slowly steadied.

He reached for the package again and left his coat entirely abandoned on the ground, consumed by the fog. His hand hesitated over the seal, debating whether he should open a package clearly not addressed to him.

Knowing the pause was merely performatory, curiosity got the best of him as he gave a mental  _ Fuck It  _ before ripping open the perforated top. Sokka’s pace slowed as the heartbeat in his ears turned deafening. Sokka gingerly pulled out the thick cardstock from the package.

His eyes skimmed hurriedly across the cursive text, pulling out only the bolded and important information: 

**_The University of Alaska Fairbanks_ **

**_Zuko Sozin_ **

**_Bachelor of Fine Arts_ **

**_with Minor in Ethnobotany_ **

It had been almost two years since Zuko had left his cabin in order to get his degree in art. He’d apparently done it. 

Sokka’s eyes began to water with hope at what this meant. The boy who was so afraid of his father he had lied to Sokka about his name in order to hide his identity, the same boy who stopped all contact in order to prevent any traceable connections between the two of them, had just sent him a document with the location of his school and a full name. 

He was searchable. Traceable. Known. His existence wasn’t merely a pliant vapor swimming around in the smoke, an unattainable figment of his imagination, it was a reality. A truth. 

Was it a mistake? 

_ It couldn’t be. But that could only mean one thing... _

Butterflies filled his stomach and threatened to climb his throat as he looked up into the living room, eyes searching as his feet spun slowly around in his spot. He wasn’t sure exactly what he was looking for, at least that’s what he told himself, but whatever it was wasn’t there. 

After noticing the lack of presence from things he didn’t expect to be there, he cocked his head to the side in consideration of the things that he did expect to be there but weren’t.

_ Suki. Suki isn’t inside. _

Suki must have been outside enjoying the weather. This wasn’t unusual, she was known to come and go as she pleased, but something seemed off this time. Her hearing was impeccable, and typically she’d come running from the woods at the sound of his car in the driveway if she wasn’t already inside of the house waiting for him to enter. There were days of course where she was too far away to hear or too preoccupied with a rabbit to care, but they were few and far between. 

He wasn’t sure if it was his hurt pride at her neglect or the hope that her preoccupation was with someone he had dearly missed as well, but he found his feet propelling him towards the front door. He reached for the lighter coat he knew he’d put on the hook the third to the left, but squinted in confusion as his hands were left empty. 

_ This was just here this morning, he could have sworn he noticed the striking blue fabric as he left for work. Where had he misplaced it? _

Refusing to let excitement consume him, he doubled back for the larger coat he had left on the ground before running out his front door. He bounded across the threshold onto his porch and down the steps into the snow-filled gravel, his boots making large thuds with every landing. 

“Suki!” the sound of his yell echoed across the snow in front of him. His heart stuttered at the lack of reply.

_ God, what was becoming of him. _

Intuition suggested for him to check the lake first, which he obliged. The walk along the trail seemed to last an eternity as he made his way to the water’s edge. Animals, streams, and nests left unchecked as he focused on the trail ahead of him.

_ It’s probably nothing, Sokka, you’re making things up in your head. _

His heart dropped in his chest suddenly as he cleared the small hill in front of him, the lake shore opening between the trees fully visible now. 

Empty.

_ I told you. _

His heart moved him forward, eyes scanning the nearby trees for any movement, as he slowly approached the lake’s edge. He walked cautiously, not too fast, knowing full well that he was just trying to prolong his disappointment. 

_ Zuko isn’t here. _

Sokka pulled the boomerang out of his holster and released it, along with his frustrations, across the water. 

_ Don’t be angry, Sokka, it’s not his fault. _

Thoughts of Zuko standing there with him from years ago filled his head as he watched the boomerang turn its way around the lake, slowly making its way back towards him. It was around this time of year he taught a certain Lee how to throw one, a little later in the season perhaps. He smiled at himself as the memory of Zuko throwing his phone into the water resurfaced. 

_ Idiot. _

Sokka’s chest ached as he looked down at his boots by the edge of the lake, fingers newly numb. It had been years since he last saw Zuko. They must be completely different people by now. Did Zuko even remember these things? 

They were all Sokka thought about. 

He bit his lip anxiously. Two years was a long time. Long enough for someone to forget. Enough for someone to fall out of love. To move on. 

_ He hadn’t. _

But that just scared him even more. Sokka was holding onto Zuko, holding onto memories that Zuko may not even want to remember but that Sokka never wanted to forget. Did Zuko want to forget about him? Had he? Was the smoke that filled his head even real anymore or had he recreated the memories into what he wanted them to be?

The sound of the whizzing boomerang snapped Sokka out of his thoughts, now completely replaced with panic as the boomerang quickly approached, too late to grab from where he was standing.

It whizzed past him, moving just slow enough to notice each individual spin. He turned his head around quickly as it spun behind him, out of reach. 

He turned back to follow it, half-heartedly, when suddenly the world stood still. A dark haired man in Sokka’s blue coat jumped up slightly to grab the missed boomerang, just 20 feet behind from where Sokka stood. The man landed with a soft crunch on the melting snow, too thin from Sokka’s consistent hikes to withstand the sun’s warm rays. 

_ Zuko? _

Zuko’s golden eyes looked at him softly as he held the precariously caught boomerang against his chest. His fingers clutched the object firmly, the tension in his shoulders obvious despite the thick fur lining of Sokka’s coat around the collar; they gripped and ungripped the boomerang nervously. His eyes looked away briefly, flitting from tree to trail to Sokka quickly.

“Is it really you?” Sokka debated pinching himself but decided that if Zuko really  _ was _ standing in front of him, then he didn’t want to embarrass himself with cliches.

“Unless you met some other idiot with a burn scar around his eye ballsy enough to break into your house in order to surprise you with dinner, then yes.”

As he spoke, Zuko took his left hand off of the boomerang and reached behind him, pulling up a string with two salmon dangling from it, previously attached to his belt loop behind him. 

Sokka just now noticed his own fishing pole, that he kept in his coat closet, sticking out of Zuko’s backpack. 

“How’d you get in?” Sokka decided to ease into bigger subjects, not knowing where to start. 

“There was a key under the mat, Sokka. If that didn't work I was going to check the garage code for Suki’s birthday again. Worked for me the first time.”

“Ah,”  _ You little shit,  _ “Would you believe me if I told you I kept it there in case you ever came back?”

“Yes.”

Zuko smiled at that, his eyes shining at Sokka from across the trail. Neither had moved closer, an invisible barrier keeping them apart. It still didn’t feel real, just another one of Sokka’s smoke screens. 

Sokka took the silence as an excuse to look at Zuko, not that he hadn’t been staring at him this whole time, but to  _ really _ look at him. His hair was still jet black and shined where the sun hit it beautifully. It was much longer now, tied up in a bun with loose pieces falling out of it, creating haphazard bangs and short strands that must have tickled his neck. He wondered how long it was when let down. 

_ It must be past his shoulders by now. _

The scar around his eye looked fully healed and, if Sokka’s memory was correct, had faded into a deep mauve instead of its original angry maroon. 

His eyes caught a small glimmer just below it, leading him to discover the thin circle of metal around the center of Zuko’s bottom lip.

_ A lip ring? Oh, he’ll definitely have to make fun of him for that later. _

A small smirk spread across his lips as Sokka bravely stepped forward until he stood directly in front of Zuko. Zuko stood, unmoving, and looked up at Sokka with big deer eyes, gulping visibly as Sokka finished his approach.

_ He must still be nervous. Cute.  _

“This is new.” Sokka’s smirk stayed as he gestured to Zuko’s lip ring.

Zuko’s eyebrow furrowed for a few seconds as his uncovered hand came up to his own lip. 

_ His hands are just as pretty as I remembered.  _

Zuko’s eyes widened in realization before exclaiming, “Oh! Right, you haven’t seen this yet.”

Zuko looked down, a slight blush on his cheeks from shyness. 

“Do you like it?” Zuko sounded unsure, his eyes searching. 

Sokka’s head tilted slightly with his soft smirk, thinking about how different this Zuko was compared to the one that left two years ago. He seemed vulnerable, open, unguarded, but still independent and zealous. 

Sokka’s hand came up to Zuko’s chin, tilting it up so he could look at him even more closely. His eyelashes fluttered once, twice, streaks of ebony striking against each other before contrasting against his tanned lids. His eyes shined even brighter at this distance, golden rings gazing far deeper than Sokka’s outer surface, sucking him in. The gold ring around his lip was simple and thin, barely noticeable at a distance but remarkable up close against Zuko’s pink lips. It suited him.

_ God, he’s gorgeous. _

Sokka’s other hand moved up to cup one of Zuko’s cheeks as he held his chin softly in place. They stayed there briefly, looking at each other eagerly before Zuko’s lids lowered, glancing at Sokka’s lips as he opened his mouth slightly and in one swift movement leaned forward for a long-awaited kiss. His open lips hit Sokka’s resolutely, his hands coming up to hold the lapels on Sokka’s coat, helping him pull Sokka down closer. Sokka’s hand responded by moving from Zuko’s chin to his waist, grabbing onto the loops on his flannel-lined jeans and pulling Zuko into his own hips firmly. 

The kiss was slow but strong as both of them desperately attempted to let the other know just how much they missed each other. Sokka’s firm hands steadied Zuko, holding him as close as possible. Zuko’s neck was pushed back with each consecutive kiss, Sokka mouthing at his lips and chin and neck without slowing down. He brought his hand to the back of Zuko’s head in order to stop any strain from this angle, reveling in the loud sigh Zuko voiced as Sokka tugged again on his belt loops as if to tell him he’s not letting him get away ever again, slipping his tongue into Zuko’s mouth and successfully taking over the kiss. 

Zuko glided his teeth over Sokka’s bottom lip as he pulled away suddenly, looking down. The edges of his right eyelid were flushed pink, the inner rim clearly filling with tears. 

“Hey,” Sokka’s mood shifted somber, “what’s wrong?”

Zuko looked up, his eyes imbued with the same fire Sokka was so used to seeing from them. It was a strange sight, seeing Zuko’s fire mixed with this sort of vulnerability. Eyes like that were typically accompanied with Zuko’s anger and resentment, or with determination and discovery. Sokka had never seen them generated from such sadness. A fat tear fell off his ebony lashes as he blinked, hitting half way down his cheek before continuing its descent down his jaw. Zuko’s eyes didn’t waver, burning into Sokka. As Sokka searched for what the matter was, an anxious pit beginning to form in his stomach.

“I’m sorry,” was all that Zuko breathed out before sucking in a breath and closing his eyes, leaning forward dejected into Sokka’s welcoming chest. 

Sokka brought his arms up around Zuko, holding him close, head coming down to rest tilted on Zuko’s temple. 

“Do you remember what you told me after I ran off?”

Zuko sniffed before releasing a foggy breath out of his mouth and looking up at Sokka, “Not to do it ever again?”

“Mhm, so don’t apologize. Just...don’t do it again.”

“I didn’t even bring you flowers…”

“That’s good, I don’t like cut flowers. Hey, don’t look at me like that! Really, I understand why you had to do what you did, I even saw it coming. But I don’t think my old heart could take you leaving again,” Sokka brought his thumb up to wipe away the moisture on Zuko’s cheek.

“Old? Sokka you’re 33.”

“And my heart has aged 50 years since you left, so you have no one to blame but yourself.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“And you got a lip ring in art school.”

Zuko’s jaw dropped in shock as a small smirk graced his lips, a chuckle coming of his throat when he heard Sokka’s genuine, blaring laughter.

“I knew you’d make fun of me!”

Sokka’s hand was still on his stomach from the laughter, “I’m kidding! I like it!”

Zuko turned, fake annoyance on his face as he took a step away from Sokka back towards the trail.

“Laugh it up, Sokka, see if you’ll get to see any of the other piercings I got in art school.”

Sokka’s face fell as curiosity and surprise filled his chest, “ _ Other _ piercings?! Where?!”

Zuko looked back at him with mischief in his eyes, “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

Sokka bounded forward, pulling Zuko back towards him by the waist, lifting his body up off the ground slightly as he held him there suspended in the air, his back against Sokka’s stomach.

Zuko’s mouth went wide in laughter as his head fell backwards onto Sokka’s shoulder, hands reaching for Sokka’s strong arms around his waist on instinct to help release some of the pressure of gravity, not a trace of tears from earlier left on Zuko’s face. 

“Let me down!” Another laugh escaped Zuko’s lips which Sokka didn’t find the most convincing accompaniment to begging.

“Not until you tell me! What about tattoos? Are there tattoos?!” Sokka let Zuko down as he playfully pulled on his jacket, half-heartedly attempting to see the skin of Zuko’s arms and chest as Zuko pushed Sokka’s hands away from his body and intertwined them with his own fingers instead. 

“Am I interrupting something?” A familiar voice echoed behind them, along with a playful bark from Suki who bounded towards the couple, nipping at their gloved fingers for attention. 

“Aang?! God, who else is here without giving me any warning?” Sokka’s voice attempted frustration but his eyes shined with a mixture of disbelief and amazement. 

“Well Katara is inside starting to make dinner with Zuko’s uncle; you mean like that?”

Sokka’s laugh rang loudly through the trees, his shoulders leaning forward just slightly as his eyes squinted shut in amusement. He hadn’t laughed this much in a long time. 

“Did you all plan this?” Sokka asked as Zuko and Aang looked back and forth at each other sheepishly. Zuko pulled his head down and kicked a small pebble across the snow, the blush from the kiss and the play still on display as he smirked at the ground. 

“We may have received a letter a couple days ago,” Aang confessed, “Katara wanted to call and tell you right away but we decided it was best if Zuko was the first one you heard from about it. Plus, I love surprise parties!”

Aang's smile shined brightly as the glow from his surrounding snowy landscape verged on overwhelming. 

“Your hair!” Aang’s smile turned to shock as he took a couple steps forward, excitedly reaching for Zuko’s bun.

Zuko’s face briefly flashed something indecipherable before looking slightly dejected, “It seems like every time we see each other I have a different hair style.”

“Mmm, I suppose. I liked bald Zuko the best, but this is good too. Not everyone is blessed with good taste, it’s okay.”

Zuko smiled with closed lips, holding back a laugh as his eyes closed, allowing his head to bob down in defeat before looking back up. 

“I missed you too, Aang.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_ Zuko _

Watching Sokka smile softly at his chattering guests around the table, holding the small cup of still-steaming tea close to his broad chest made Zuko quickly regret inviting anyone else to their reunion. He wanted to walk around the table and crawl into his lap so Sokka could only pay attention to him. He wanted to reach his hands across the table, grab onto the collar of Sokka’s shirt, and pull him in for another kiss. He wanted to-

“So, Zuko, where have you been living?”

A small blush crept its way across Zuko’s cheeks at the interruption of his thoughts. Sokka’s eyes were inquisitive and playful, as if he knew the sort of thoughts he was interrupting. 

“I moved in with my uncle a couple months after he found me, when my lease was up.” Sokka and Iroh sent each other small glances followed by pleased smiles before continuing their meal.

“What was that?” Zuko’s brow furrowed and eyes squinted as he looked between the two of them.

“What was what?” Sokka feigned ignorance.

“That! The side eye smirk...thing between the two of you.”

Sokka chuckled finally, giving himself away, before he turned to Iroh and asked, “Which, uh, coffee shop finally did the trick, Iroh?” 

Zuko’s eyes went wide at this comment. His uncle hadn’t told this story yet had he? How did Sokka know? He couldn’t have guessed...right? But that would mean-

“I knew you’d catch on after our meeting, Sokka.” 

_ Meeting?! _

“One of those hipster ones, you know, rustic,” Sokka started to smirk again at the hipster comment before Iroh continued, “Actually, it reminded me a bit of this cabin, similar in a lot of ways really.”

Zuko looked down at his meal, knowing full well Sokka was looking at him with surprised and soft eyes from across the table. He didn’t exactly internalize the blatant connection between his getaway cafe and this cabin, but he knew something about it had calmed his heart and he didn’t need to dig any deeper than that to keep coming back.

“One can never truly leave,” Aang spoke up before taking a slurp of his soup.

“And can never quite return,” Iroh finished, giving Aang a wink.

The other three sitting at the table groaned at each other, Katara giving a small eye-roll before reaching for the bread in the center of the table.

“It’s true though! We are quite fortunate that good people like Sokka know Zuko better than his own father does. And that he chose to let you resolve things on your own, which I’m sure was  _ very hard  _ to do,” Iroh glanced tentatively between the couple before dipping a piece of bread in his soup and mumbling about how delicious it tasted.

Zuko looked up at Sokka, unsure what to say in the moment. There was too much to talk about, too much to explain, too much to listen to, to apologize for. Regret crept into his throat again as he glanced at his friends and family at the table, wishing for a moment that they’d disappear just for a moment so he could let out everything he’d kept inside for so long out. He ached and he hurt for years. Doing this alone, without Sokka, had been hard on him too. But he knew that was selfish thinking. For two years he could sleep well at night knowing that Sokka was safe, known, able to be returned to. He turned into a ghost for Sokka, and he couldn’t imagine what that must have felt like. He lived for years knowing he’d eventually come back to Sokka, but Sokka lived two years  _ hoping  _ he would. What could he possibly say in this moment to fix that? To make him feel even marginally better? To heal Sokka like Sokka healed him?

_ Nothing. _

Zuko felt his eyes burn at the feeling of tears attempting to make their way into his lower lid, but he held them back with closed eyes and focused on the one thing he refused to let himself cry about anymore.

“He got 25 years. My— Uh, Ozai. Aggravated battery,” Zuko’s voice was constricted, hoarse, feigning apathy as he reached for the glass of water in front of him. His mind settled more with each gulp of the chilled liquid, feeling it permeate through his body, numbing more than just his throat and stomach. 

It wasn’t the response anyone was expecting, he was sure of it, and he knew it wouldn’t fix things, but it was the one thing he could think of that might ease some of the uncertainty. There were less questions hanging in the air between them this way. Ozai was gone. For a long time. Enough time. Enough time for Zuko to take what he’d made for himself and start over with the things that make him happy, the things that make him want to be better. He used to think Sokka was the person who kept him alive, what helped him survive, but that was wrong. Sokka was who helped him realize how much he wanted to  _ live _ . 

“That’s really great, Zuko!” Katara spoke up through the silence.

Zuko glanced up to meet Sokka’s eyes. His shoulders had fallen with Zuko’s words, eyes concerned. 

_ Shouldn’t he be happy? _

_ Sokka _

Sokka’s hands clenched below the table in fists, keeping the anger rising in his chest from boiling over.

_ This is a win, Sokka, let it go for now. _

“It’s the least he deserves,” Sokka thought briefly about how quickly he turned on Iroh over a year ago for a simple misunderstanding...

“Are you okay, Zuko?” If anyone had the right to be upset about the results it was him.

The knot in Sokka’s chest softened when Zuko gave him a small smile, “It’s enough, I promise. Really, it’s even better than I thought would be possible with him.”

Zuko grabbed for his glass of water again, making a disgruntled face when he realized it was nearly empty. Sokka smiled seeing Zuko’s face contort in disgust, as if the glass had personally offended him. He had missed the full range of facial expressions Zuko used to make, expressions he hadn’t seen in years. Zuko was always so expressive with his face, and despite the walls he put up, they went hand in hand with how he always wore his heart on his sleeve. Sokka admired that.

Sokka stood up, grabbing Zuko’s empty glass as he moved towards the kitchen, ignoring the protests coming from Zuko. 

His victory was short lived, as he heard quick footsteps catching up to him as he crossed the threshold to the kitchen.

“It’s just a refill, Zuko; let me fulfill my duty as a host.”

“Well you technically didn’t invite—”

“Host nonetheless!” Sokka interrupted.

He opened the fridge, pouring out an ample amount of water into Zuko’s cup before handing it back to him. 

Zuko sighed, “Thanks. But I’m doing the dishes tonight!”

Sokka laughed as he walked forward, pressing Zuko into the counter behind him. He placed his hands on either side of Zuko’s body, palms pressing down onto the counter locking him in. Sokka leaned down, closing the distance between their faces as he spoke quietly, “Oh, you’re doing the dishes for  _ weeks _ .”

Zuko’s lips betrayed him, the ends curling up in a smile as he processed Sokka’s words, “You’re so mean to me.”

“Yeah? I don’t wanna hear it,” Sokka teased back.

Zuko hesitated before glancing down at their feet, looking up with searching eyes, “Does that mean I’m staying here?”

“What do you want, Zuko?”

Zuko’s eyes looked confused, as if Sokka thinking that Zuko would want anything else was completely preposterous.

“ _ You _ , Sokka, of course you. And here, I want to be here with you. But I don’t want to assume anything. I figured you’d need your space for a bit.”

_ He really is completely clueless sometimes isn’t he? _

“Zuko, no offense, but I’ve had two years of space. And I really don’t want any more of it.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. But you’re gonna have to sleep with me because I turned your old room into an office.”

The side of Zuko’s lip got tense and showed his teeth as he sucked in a breath, feigning consideration, “I don’t know, Sokka, you drive a hard bargain.”

“You could always sleep on the couch?” Sokka played along.

“I do love your couch.”

“Hey, love birds, need help in there? Did the Brita filter fight back while you were pouring or what?” Katara’s voice rang through from the dining room, followed by the chatter of laughter from the others. 

_ Five minutes, Katara, all I’m asking for is five minutes... _

“At least they didn’t go to the bathroom together, it could be worse.”

_ Brilliant Aang, thank you. _

Sokka let out a sigh, his cheek caressed playfully by Zuko’s thumb before the man turned back to the dining room with a small smile on his face, rejoining the others at the table. Relief permeated through Sokka’s shoulders as he took a moment for himself standing by the kitchen opening, allowing himself to relax his chest with a deep breath. 

Things were going to be okay. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_ Zuko _

“Iroh said he couldn’t drop off my stuff until this weekend.”

“You’ve been known to live off my clothes for months, Zuko, I think you can survive a couple days without your own,” Sokka spoke as he finished wiping down the dining room table.

Everyone had cleared out about an hour ago, most of which Zuko had spent cleaning the ungodly amount of dishes the group went through that evening. 

“Hey, I never said that was a  _ bad _ thing, did I?” 

Zuko was lucky the past two years and he knew it. He packed his favorite articles of clothing Sokka had given him the day he left, leaving him with pieces of Sokka to keep with him. They lost his scent fairly quickly, but Zuko could remember it. He’d even gone to the extent of getting pine and cinnamon candles, placing them around his apartment in hopes of recreating it. He wondered if Sokka did anything silly like that.

Sokka had come from behind him, wrapping his arms around his waist and resting his chin on Zuko’s shoulder as Zuko scrubbed a stubborn pan aggressively. 

“What do you say we make our way to the bedroom, hmm? Save the rest for morning?” Sokka’s chaste yet slow kisses he left along Zuko’s neck were very convincing.

“You’re offering to finish them in the morning?”

“That’s not what I said,” Sokka let out a quiet laugh, “But nice try.”

They made their way to Sokka’s bedroom, Sokka turning off the lights along the way. Zuko was the first to enter, flipping the switch as he pushed the door open. He felt Sokka close behind him, breath tickling his neck, as he stopped in his tracks. 

_ What the fuck. _

Zuko blinked up at the wall in front of him, attempting to process what he was seeing. Hanging there, surrounded by a simple, black frame, hung one of his old artworks from an exhibit he participated in a year ago. 

Tears stung at his eyes as he stood there, unmoving. It was his favorite one. 

_ How did Sokka get this? _

Zuko’s feet, finally determined to get closer, approached the piece. It was his alright. The original even. Zuko raised his hand up, inches from the glass covering, hovering them in the air before deciding he didn’t want to dirty it and letting gravity pull his hand back down by his side. 

Gold foil, brilliantly flattened and polished, shined brightly throughout the canvas. The figure of a man’s back was decipherable as the painting's outer rim, an unusual distorted shape that depicted his anatomy beautifully. The foil was raised and sharp at the man’s shoulders and the crests of his hips, palpable by hand. The gold reached impeccable thinness throughout his messy hair, head tilted sideways as if against a surface below him. 

Zuko turned around, the small change in force finally pushing two tears down his cheeks as his eyes met Sokka’s.

“How?” His voice was shaky, quiet, unsure how to express what he felt. 

“Anonymous donations are a magical thing. The exhibit was public, you know? Besides, I figured since it was  _ of me _ , it was only natural that I got to keep it.”

His ability to joke in times like these really baffled Zuko sometimes. 

“How many...how many exhibits did you see?”

“All of them since that one. Well, all of them they advertised, presumably. I saw a certain “Z” on an exhibit’s list of artists and went there on a hunch since it was the same as your postcard sign off. And when I got there I discovered I was right. I just had to search for it after that. I didn’t purchase any of the other ones, thought I would share with the rest of the world since it would be unfair if I got to keep your art as well as you, but I wanted this-”

“Sokka!” Zuko yelled, bringing his hands to cover his face as he choked back tears. He couldn’t decide if they were happy or sad ones, but whatever emotion he was feeling it was a strong one.

“Hey, hey! What’s the matter? Did I upset you?” Sokka’s arms had encircled around his shoulders, the backs of Zuko’s hands now pressed up against Sokka’s chest.

Zuko didn’t have the energy to answer; even if he did, he wouldn’t know how to. What was the matter?

Sokka tensed as he awaited Zuko’s response, slowly relaxing into Zuko the longer they stood there wrapped up in each other. When Sokka’s head began to rest on Zuko’s head, Zuko pressed up against it, causing both of them to pull back, looking into each other’s eyes.

“I’m really sorry if that was a breach in privacy. I mean, not  _ if _ , it  _ was _ a breach in privacy. But I was careful, if that counts for anything. I just missed you so much, Zuko. I thought at least this way I could be connected to you somehow. I didn’t really stop to think about it.”

Zuko wiped the tears from his eyes, sniffing in a deep breath before he spoke, “I’m not mad at you, Sokka. I’m really happy you at least saw them. It’s silly, a part of me always hoped you found a way to see them. I’d have dreams of us running into each other at exhibits I was a part of,” Zuko let out a small chuckle before continuing, “My mind came up with the wildest situations when I was asleep, where I never would have had to leave you after that, even ones where I never left at all. I don’t know why I’m so upset right now, I wish I could explain it to myself, let alone you. I think I’m just overwhelmed,” Zuko paused, “I guess a part of me is still mad at the world for needing to leave you. I still feel guilty for it too. And here you were not giving up on me, supporting me in a way I wasn’t even aware was possible. It doesn’t seem right, you know?”

Sokka kept rubbing his back as he spoke, leaning down slightly to kiss his forehead when he was done, “So, this is a bad time to tell you that I have prints of all the others you did hanging in your old room?”

Zuko let out a sigh, allowing his lips to curl up in amusement at his loving, yet ridiculous, boyfriend.

“No. In fact, it’s the perfect time.”

“Good, because I do, and they’re all amazing.”

Zuko looked at him, smirking back at Sokka’s mischievous face before continuing, “ _ I _ don’t even have all of my artworks hanging.”

“Well, as Aang would say, not everyone is blessed with good taste~”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you believe it's over? I can't. Thank you all for your comments, kudos, and support throughout this whole thing, I really couldn't have done it without you <3 In times like these, motivation is hard to find but you guys kept me going! Look out for more fics from me in the future, I have Ideas...

**Author's Note:**

> There will be multiple chapters of this fic. Leave a comment if you'd like! <3


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